Hamas has openly disregarded the latest ultimatum from the U.S. President, Donald Trump, asserting that Israeli hostages will only be freed in exchange for a prolonged ceasefire in Gaza.
Hamas accused both Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of attempting to bypass a truce agreement reached in January. This accord included future negotiations about freeing hostages in return for more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire, and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Hamas spokesperson Abdel-Latif al-Qanoua emphasized that the most effective approach to free the remaining Israeli hostages is through discussions on this phase, which were supposed to start in early February but have only seen limited preparatory talks. Meanwhile, Trump’s final warning to Hamas followed his meeting with eight former hostages, with unprecedented direct contacts between the U.S. and the militant group confirmed by the White House.
Trump expressed via Truth Social, “Release all hostages now, not later, and immediately return all bodies of the people you have killed, or it’s over for you.” He criticized Hamas, labeling them as “sick and twisted” for keeping bodies, a practice common to both Israel and Hamas for potential prisoner exchanges.
Currently, Hamas holds 24 live hostages from an October 7, 2023 attack that initiated the conflict, including dual Israeli-American citizen Edan Alexander. Additionally, they retain the bodies of 34 people killed during the attack or who died in captivity, and the remains of a soldier from the 2014 war.
In the initial phase of a 42-day ceasefire that ended recently, Hamas released 25 Israeli hostages and the bodies of eight others in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israel supports a new U.S. plan proposing that Hamas immediately releases half of the remaining hostages and the rest once a permanent ceasefire is negotiated, a proposal Hamas refuses, insisting on adherence to the January agreement.
To exert pressure on Hamas, Israel has stopped the supply of food, fuel, medicine, and other aid to Gaza’s two million residents, threatening additional consequences if Hamas does not resume hostage releases. It is uncertain whether U.S.-Hamas talks have made progress.
The Trump administration pledges full support for Israel’s war aims, which may conflict with efforts for a U.S.-Hamas dialogue, potentially complicating a resumption of war by Israel, per Mkhaimar Abusada from the University of Al-Azhar in Gaza. He noted that the current U.S. government attempts to prevent a return to warfare in Gaza.
On another front, Egypt announced plans for an international conference aimed at raising funds for a $53 billion Gaza reconstruction project proposed recently at the Arab Summit in Cairo. The conference, to be organized with the U.N., seeks financial commitments for the five-year plan, deemed “viable and realistic” by Egyptian officials.
Hamas-led militants were responsible for killing approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the October assault, capturing 251 hostages, most of whom have since been freed through ceasefires or other negotiations. Israeli forces have rescued eight live hostages and recovered numerous bodies.
The military onslaught by Israel has claimed over 48,000 Palestinian lives, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, without specifying militant fatalities. Israel claims over 17,000 militants killed, though evidence is lacking.
The extensive destruction caused in Gaza has uprooted much of its populace, leaving many in makeshift shelters, schools, or damaged buildings, relying on international aid.
In a broader context, the U.N.’s humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher has warned the Security Council about the severe impact of U.S. funding cuts on vital life-saving operations in Yemen and elsewhere.
Fletcher highlighted the speed at which essential work is being curtailed, asking partners for lists of affected areas.
The situation remains tense as negotiations stall and humanitarian conditions in Gaza deteriorate, with international efforts underway to fund reconstruction. The ongoing conflict underscores the complex dynamics at play, with diplomatic efforts struggling to bridge gaps.
