In what is his most jaw-dropping statement on Gaza yet, Donald Trump took to his social media platform TruthSocial on Wednesday and threatened all two million Palestinians in the Strip with death, should the Israeli captives held by the al-Qassam Brigades and other fighting factions there not be released.
“‘Shalom Hamas’ means Hello and Goodbye – You can choose,” Trump began his post, using the Hebrew greeting equivalent to the Arabic ‘Salam’.
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“Release all of the Hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you,” he warned. “Only sick and twisted people keep bodies, and you are sick and twisted!”
The US president said he is “sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job.”
On Friday, the Trump administration notified Congress that it had approved a nearly $3bn weapons sale to Israel, which includes 2,000-pound ‘bunker-buster’ bombs previously suspended by the Biden administration.
“Not a single Hamas member will be safe if you don’t do as I say,” Trump threatened in his social media post. “I have just met with your former Hostages whose lives you have destroyed. This is your last warning!”
It remains unclear what timeline the president is looking at when he refers to a “last warning” given his Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, is set to return to the region within the next few days to discuss the state of the ceasefire deal. The first phase ended on 1 March with Israel refusing to implement the second phase, which would see it withdrawing its troops from Gaza.
Instead, Israel is now demanding an extension of the first phase and a release of all its captives. Hamas has rejected the notion, and said only the second phase of the deal would ensure remaining captives are freed in exchange for Palestinians held in Israel.
“For the leadership, now is the time to leave Gaza, while you still have a chance,” Trump said, but didn’t stop at threats to Hamas.
The president proceeded to threaten all two million residents of Gaza with death.
“To the People of Gaza: A beautiful Future awaits, but not if you hold Hostages. If you do, you are DEAD!” he wrote. “Make a SMART decision. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW, OR THERE WILL BE HELL TO PAY LATER!”
Unprecedented talks
Trump’s stunning language directed at all the civilians in Gaza comes just hours after the news outlet Axios revealed that the US has been in direct talks with Hamas – an unprecedented move given the group’s designation as a terrorist organisation since 1997.
The two sides met face to face in the Qatari capital Doha, and those discussions are ongoing, the White House press secretary confirmed to reporters on Wednesday. They are mainly focused on the release of Edan Alexander of New Jersey, who is believed to be the last living American captive held in Gaza.
Four other American captives had previously been declared dead in absentia.
With “American lives at stake,” Karoline Leavitt told reporters at the White House briefing: “Dialogue and talking to people around the world to do what’s in the best interest of the American people, is something that the president has proven is what he believes is a good faith effort to do what’s right for the American people.”
Israel was consulted on the talks, she added.
For his part, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that his government “expressed its position” to Washington about the talks with Hamas.
He has made it clear for several days that he is prepared to return to a full-scale war on Gaza, calling up 400,000 reservists, should Hamas refuse to extend the first phase of the ceasefire deal.
Since that phase ended, Israel has reimposed a blockade on Gaza, preventing food, water, fuel, and medicine from entering the enclave. Amnesty, among other human rights groups, has called the move a war crime.
