Trump says US in 'deep talks' with Hamas, urges hostage release
Donald Trump said the US is in deep talks with Hamas, demanding the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza, and warned of tough consequences if they refuse
US President Donald Trump has said that his administration was engaged in “very deep talks” with Hamas. He also urged the group to release all the Israeli hostages currently held by them in Gaza, warning that if they don’t comply, then the situation would get “very tough and nasty.”
"We said let them all out, right now let them all out. And much better things will happen for them, but if you don't let them all out, it's going to be a tough situation, it's going to be nasty," said Trump as quoted by ANI.
Speaking to reporters on Friday (September 6), the US President also said that Hamas has asked “for some things that are fine” without elaborating about the specific demands made by the group.
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‘US’ plan to manage post-war Gaza’
Trump’s remarks come days after US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in August said that the US President would preside over a White House meeting to discuss a "comprehensive plan" for managing Gaza after the war, highlighting the administration's ongoing efforts to address both immediate and post-conflict issues in the region.
The Times of Israel reported that this was the first time Witkoff revealed that the US had a plan to manage Gaza after the war. "Many people were going to see how robust it was and how well-meaning it was, and it reflected President Trump's humanitarian motives," Witkoff said in a Fox News interview, without elaborating further, reported ANI.
Witkoff also reiterated the Trump administration's official position on the ceasefire deal, which he said was to oppose additional partial Gaza hostage deals. Earlier, Trump had backed this stance when he posted on Truth Social hours after Hamas accepted the Arab mediators' latest proposal on August 18, which stated that the hostages would only be freed after Hamas was dismantled entirely.
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Witkoff’s slams Hamas
However, despite the fact that Hamas accepted the 60-day proposal, Witkoff blamed the militant group for dragging its feet over the process last month. He suggested that Hamas accepted the deal due to severe pressure from Israel.
"It was Hamas who said they accepted that deal, and I think in large part they said that and changed their mind because the Israelis were putting some very intense pressure on them," Witkoff told Fox News.
Also Read: Israel declares Gaza City a combat zone, recovers remains of two hostages
Israel continues ground operation
However, Israel refused to accept the deal and started a ground operation to wipe out Hamas totally. Since Monday, at least 61 people have been killed in Israeli attacks across Gaza, with 1000 buildings destroyed by the Israeli forces since August 6, reported ANI.
During its attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Hamas militants took over 250 hostages in Gaza while killing 1200 people. About 50 of them are still being held captive by Hamas in Gaza, with 20 thought to be still alive, reported Reuters.