US President Donald Trump has threatened to cancel the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas if the Palestinian group does not release the Israelis it holds captive by 12pm on Saturday.
This comes after Hamas said it would delay the release of the next tranche of captives “until further notice”, accusing Israel of failing to comply with the terms of the truce deal.
Trump told reporters on Monday that “all hell is going to break out” if the hostages are not returned on Saturday.
When questioned on what this would mean, Trump responded: “You’ll find out, and they’ll find out – Hamas will find out what I mean.”
Trump added that Israel may want to overrule his decision, but that he might talk to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on
Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
The president has also expressed frustration at the conditions of the recent batch of Israeli captives released by Hamas, noting his scepticism regarding whether the remaining hostages are alive.
“I think a lot of the hostages are dead,” he said.
No right of return
Speaking to Fox News on Sunday, Trump also doubled down on his earlier announcement to expel all Palestinians from Gaza and build a beach resort, asserting that Palestinians who leave Gaza will have no right to return.
The right of Palestinians to return to their lands has been a bedrock issue for the Palestinian cause.
Around 750,000 Palestinians were expelled from their lands in the 1948 Nakba that created Israel. Some seven million of their descendents now live as refugees.
Is the ceasefire in Gaza on the verge of breakdown?
Read More »
More than 80 percent of Gaza’s 2.2 million population is made up of Palestinian refugees from what is now Israel.
Asked by Fox News anchor Bret Baier if Palestinians who have fled Gaza or been expelled would have the right to return, Trump responded: “No, they wouldn’t.”
“They’re going to have much better housing… I’m talking about building a permanent place for them,” he added.
“I’m talking about starting to build, and I think I could make a deal with Jordan. I think I could make a deal with Egypt. You know, we give them billions and billions.”
Trump has previously announced plans to take over the Gaza Strip, expel its Palestinian population to other countries, and rebuild the territory into the “Riviera of the Middle East”.
He further questioned why Palestinians would ever want to return there when asked whether they would be allowed to return.
His remarks last week sparked confused and anger across the globe, with Hamas rejecting his plans, saying it was aimed at eliminating the Palestinian cause.
Palestinians in Gaza have also strongly rejected any resettlement plan, stating their determination not to allow Israel to successfully execute another Nakba.
