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Trump’s “last warning” – USA confirm talks with Hamas
Trump sets the Hamas an ultimatum. Shortly before, the US government confirms direct talks with the Islamists, which classifies it as terroristically – a break with the politics of previous governments.
With an ultimate “last warning”, US President Donald Trump tries to further increase the pressure on Islamist Hamas. Hamas must immediately release all Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip and also hand over all the corpses of the murdered Israelis, “or it’s over for you,” wrote Trump on his Truth Social platform. At the same time, the US government confirmed direct discussions with Hamas about the hostages. Earlier US governments officially avoided direct discussions with organizations that they classified as terroristically.
So far, Israel and Hamas have not been able to agree on the conditions of an extension of the ceasefire. According to Israeli information, the Islamist organization still has 24 hostages and 35 corpses of abducted violence. Five of them also have American citizenship – only one of them, a young man, is still alive.
Trump: Not a single Hamas member will be safe
Trump continued to threaten Hamas on Truth: “I send Israel everything it takes to finish things. Not a single Hamas member will be sure if you don’t say what I say.” This is “the last warning,” said Trump. For the Hamas leadership, the time is now to leave the Gaza Strip as long as it still has the chance.
The US President wrote to the population: “A wonderful future awaits you, but not if you hold hostages. If you do it, you are dead.” People should make a “clever decision” and release the hostages or they would pay it later.
Israel knows about talks from the United States with Hamas
Previously, Trump’s spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt in the White House had been asked why, contrary to its long -term line, the United States negotiated directly with the group. She replied that the special envoys commissioned to speak was to speak to everyone. The US news portal “Axios” first reported. Accordingly, the US specialist for hostage issues, Adam Boehler, spoke to Hamas in the past few weeks in Katar’s capital Doha.
Previously, circles of the Hamas had confirmed to the German press agency that direct discussions with the US government on American hostages and a possible comprehensive agreement to terminate the Gaza War. No agreement had been reached yet, it said.
Leavitt said Israel was consulted on this matter. She did not want to comment on the content of the talks.
The office of the Israeli head of government Benjamin Netanyahu announced: “Israel communicated its position to the United States with regard to direct discussions with Hamas.” Details were not given. The “Jerusalem Post” quoted an Israeli source that Israel is not enthusiastic about the conversations. So far, the United States had negotiated with Israel and Catar and Egyptian intermediaries.
Israel puts pressure: “The clock ticks”
Israel also increased the pressure on Hamas. The “Jerusalem Post” cited civil servants that the current situation in which the ceasefire will not continue without the release of the hostages. One source told the newspaper: “The clock ticks – if there is no agreement on the release of further hostages, Israel will return to the fights.”
In return, Israel calls for the continuation of the ceasefire for the return of the kidnapped, as provided for by a proposal by the US specialist Steve Witkoff. The Hamas, on the other hand, insists on the immediate admission of negotiations on the second phase of the agreement, which provides for an end to the war and the withdrawal of Israel troops. The Israeli hostages could only be released in this way.
The war was triggered by the unprecedented massacre, which Hamas terrorists and other extremist Palestinian organizations had committed on October 7, 2023 in Israel near the border to the Gaza Strip. On the Israeli side, more than 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 others were deported to the Gaza strips as hostages.
Since the beginning of the war, more than 48,300 people in Gaza have been killed in Gaza. The number of not verifiable number does not distinguish between fighters and civilians, but is classified as quite credible by the UN.
dpa
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
