US President Donald Trump told the Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas, that he will authorize fresh Israeli strikes on Gaza unless the group frees the remaining Israeli captives.
Trump’s ultimatum came during direct discussions in Doha between his envoy for captive matters, Adam Boehler, and Hamas leaders in an attempt to achieve a fresh Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement.
Trump gave the ultimatum after meeting with six captives freed as part of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement.
A senior Hamas official told Al Mayadeen that the recent meeting left the American side with a “positive impression” regarding the possibility of negotiations with the group.
However, the official noted that the US envoy focused solely on a potential prisoner exchange and did not address broader issues, such as a ceasefire or an end to the war on Gaza.
“The American side did not present a specific framework for a prisoner swap but listened to Hamas’s perspective on the matter,” the official said.
The Palestinian Resistance official also revealed that the meeting took place at the request of the US and caught Israeli officials by surprise.
“‘Shalom Hamas’ means Hello and Goodbye – You can choose. 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,” Trump wrote on his social media platform.
He urged Hamas to hand over the corpses of the dead captives it is holding, accusing the group of being “sick and twisted.”
Source: Al Mayadeen