Washington/Gaza, March 6, 2025: In a dramatic escalation of rhetoric, US President Donald Trump issued a final ultimatum to Hamas, demanding the immediate release of hostages held in Gaza.
Taking to his Truth Social platform, Trump vowed to send Israel everything it needed to “finish the job,” warning that no Hamas member would be safe if the group failed to comply. His message came with a dire threat, insisting that Hamas release the hostages or face severe consequences.
Hamas swiftly condemned the remarks, accusing Trump of inciting Israel to violate the ongoing ceasefire. Spokesman Hazem Qassem criticized the statement, arguing that such threats only served to “complicate matters” and embolden Israel to disregard the agreement. The escalating tensions unfolded just as the White House confirmed it had engaged in direct negotiations with Hamas—an extraordinary departure from the longstanding US policy against engaging directly with groups it designates as terrorist organizations.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt acknowledged the negotiations, revealing that Adam Boehler, the special envoy for hostages, had led the US efforts to secure their release. According to a Palestinian source, two direct meetings between Hamas and US officials had taken place, preceded by several communications. Reports suggest these discussions occurred in Doha, Qatar—a key US ally that has previously brokered diplomatic talks involving Iran, the Taliban, and Russia. Axios was the first to report on these high-stakes negotiations, noting that they covered not only the release of American hostages but also the possibility of a broader ceasefire agreement to end the war.
Trump’s social media post carried an ominous tone, delivering a stark warning to Hamas leadership. He demanded the immediate release of all hostages and the return of those killed, stating that failure to comply would result in dire consequences. He also urged Hamas leaders to flee Gaza while they still had the chance and issued a chilling message to the people of Gaza, suggesting that their future depended on whether they continued to harbor hostages. His words echoed a previous warning from December 2024, when he vowed that Hamas would face “all hell to pay” if the hostages were not freed by the time he took office.
The timing of Trump’s latest statement followed a meeting at the White House with recently released hostages and their families. Meanwhile, Israel estimated that 59 hostages remained in Gaza, with up to 24 believed to be alive. Among them were five American citizens, including Edan Alexander, who was thought to be alive, while the other four were presumed dead. Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office confirmed awareness of the US-Hamas talks, stating that it had “expressed its position” but offered no further details.
The hostage crisis traces back to Hamas’s unprecedented October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which left 1,200 dead and saw 251 people taken hostage. In retaliation, Israel launched a full-scale military campaign to dismantle Hamas. According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, Israeli airstrikes and military operations have since resulted in over 48,000 deaths.
Amid the high-stakes diplomacy, Mick Mulroy, a former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East, cautioned that while the US needed to be “more proactive” in securing hostage releases, these direct negotiations had to be carefully coordinated to avoid complicating Israel’s own efforts.
Qatar, which has hosted Hamas’s political wing since 2012, remains a pivotal player in the crisis. The Gulf state, home to a major US airbase, has played a central role in ceasefire negotiations alongside the US and Egypt. With tensions reaching a boiling point, it remains uncertain whether Trump’s threats and the ongoing US-Hamas negotiations will lead to the release of hostages or further escalate the conflict.
