Washington, October 3, 2025: US President Donald Trump has warned Hamas to accept his Gaza peace proposal by Sunday evening or face “all hell.”
Writing on his Truth Social platform on Friday, Trump declared:
“If this LAST CHANCE agreement is not reached, all HELL, like no one has ever seen before, will break out against Hamas. THERE WILL BE PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.”
The plan, mediated with Arab and Turkish involvement, calls for an immediate ceasefire, the release within 72 hours of 20 living Israeli hostages along with the remains of others, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian detainees held in Israeli prisons.
Mediators have contacted Hamas’s military leadership in Gaza, who are reportedly opposed to the proposal. Some political leaders in Qatar are said to be open to negotiations with modifications, but their sway is limited since they do not control the hostages.
A senior Hamas figure told Arab media the group is likely to reject the proposal, with the main sticking point being the demand to release all hostages within the first 72 hours — stripping Hamas of its principal bargaining tool.
There are believed to be 48 hostages still in Gaza, only 20 of whom are thought to be alive.
The ceasefire proposal comes amid soaring casualties. The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says at least 66,288 people have been killed since Israel launched its campaign following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel, which killed around 1,200 people and saw 251 hostages taken.
Trump has positioned his plan as a “historic opportunity” to end decades of conflict, but with Hamas divided and the deadline looming, prospects for agreement remain uncertain.
