On Sunday, US President Donald Trump declared he was delivering a “final warning” to Hamas, asserting that the Palestinian militant organization must agree to a deal for the release of hostages in Gaza.
The Israelis have acquiesced to my conditions. Hamas must also embrace this reality. I have cautioned Hamas of the repercussions of non-acceptance. “This is my final warning,” Trump stated on social media, without providing any details.
Hamas stated shortly thereafter that it was prepared to “immediately engage in negotiations” in response to what it characterized as “proposals from the American side intended to achieve a ceasefire agreement.”
The US news organization Axios stated that White House envoy Steve Witkoff sent a new plan for a Gaza hostage and peace agreement to Hamas last week.
The White House has not disclosed any specifics of the proposal; nevertheless, late Sunday, Trump stated, “you’ll be hearing about it pretty soon,” while presenting the negotiations favorably.
We engaged in several productive discussions. He informed reporters that positive outcomes may occur. “I believe a resolution regarding Gaza will be reached imminently.”
In early March, Trump presented a comparable ultimatum to Hamas, insisting that it release all remaining captives forthwith and surrender the corpses of deceased hostages, warning that failure to comply would result in dire consequences.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, an Israeli advocacy group, regarded the recent intervention by the US president as a “genuine breakthrough.”
During the extensive assault on Israel on October 7, 2023, Hamas militants captured 251 hostages, with 47 still presumed to remain in Gaza.
The Israeli military reports that 25 individuals are deceased. Israel is pursuing the repatriation of their remains.
– Attack on Gaza City –
Statements from Trump and Hamas coincided with the Israeli army’s bombing of a residential skyscraper in Gaza City on Sunday, marking the third such incident in three days, following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s declaration that the military was “deepening” its offensive on the critical urban hub.
Witness Mohammed Al-Nazli informed AFP that the strike on the Al-Roya tower “resembled an earthquake.”
According to Mahmud Bassal, spokesman for the Gaza civil defense department, at least 48 individuals were killed in the Israeli attacks on Sunday.
The air force has demolished two additional residential high-rises, asserting that Hamas utilized them as observation posts.
On Sunday, Netanyahu stated that over 100,000 residents had evacuated Gaza City, alleging that Hamas was obstructing evacuations and utilizing civilians as “human shields.”
The escalation has intensified concerns of a further decline in the already critical humanitarian situation for Palestinians residing in the region.
On Saturday, Israeli demonstrators marched to urge their government to retract the decision to capture Gaza City, expressing concern for the well-being of captives presumed to be detained there.
The strike on October 7, 2023, resulted in the fatalities of 1,219 individuals, predominantly civilians, according to an AFP count derived from Israeli statistics.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has resulted in the deaths of at least 64,368 Palestinians, predominantly civilians, as reported by the health ministry in Hamas-controlled Gaza, which the United Nations deems credible.
Media limitations in Gaza and challenges in visiting numerous regions prevent AFP from independently verifying the casualties and information supplied by the civil defense organization or the Israeli military.
