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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump says Hamas will be ‘hunted down' as Gaza ceasefire talks wane
Washington, DC – United States President Donald Trump has suggested that Hamas is refusing to agree to a Gaza truce because it fears what comes after all the Israeli captives are released. Trump's comments at the White House on Friday appear to suggest that the US and Israel are not ready to guarantee a lasting end to the war but rather a short-term truce to get Israeli captives out of Gaza. 'We're down to the final hostages, and they know what happens after you get the final hostages,' the US president told reporters. 'And basically because of that, they really didn't want to make a deal.' Trump blamed the Palestinian group solely for the apparent collapse of the ceasefire talks, saying the group is going to be 'hunted down'. 'Hamas didn't really want to make a deal. I think they want to die, and it's very, very bad,' he said. On Thursday, Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said Washington was cutting short its involvement in the negotiations, accusing Hamas of showing 'a lack of desire to reach a ceasefire'. Israel also said it withdrew its negotiators from Qatar, where the ceasefire talks were taking expressed bewilderment at the US position, saying it had made 'a sincere commitment to the success of the mediators' efforts' to reach a deal. The group also said the mediators — Qatar and Egypt — welcomed its 'constructive and positive' position. Talks have been ongoing for months to secure a 60-day truce that would see the release of 10 Israeli captives and a pause in the Israeli bombardment of Palestinians in Gaza. Hamas has insisted that it is seeking a permanent ceasefire. Witkoff previously said the truce 'will lead to a lasting peace in Gaza'. However, Israeli officials repeatedly described plans to return to the fighting and remove all Palestinians from Gaza after the captives are released. In fact, Israeli Minister of Defence Israel Katz has said that the country would use the truce to move hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to an internment camp in southern Gaza, in preparation for their removal from the territory altogether. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during a visit to Washington, DC, earlier this month that Israel 'still has to finish the job in Gaza' despite the ceasefire talks. In February, Trump called for depopulating Gaza and turning the territory into a 'Riviera of the Middle East' — a proposal that legal experts say would amount to ethnic cleansing, a crime against has systematically flattened large parts of Gaza, using bombardment, explosives and bulldozers in what advocates say is an effort to make the territory unliveable. Netanyahu has argued, however, that the departure of Palestinians would be 'voluntary'. But human rights experts warned that people do not actually have a choice when they are under the threat of bombardment and starvation. On Thursday, Trump suggested that Gaza is set to experience more violence, saying Israel is 'going to have to fight'. 'They're going to have to clean it up. You're going to have to get rid of it,' he said. Trump dismisses French recognition of Palestine The US president's comments come as deadly hunger continues to spread in Gaza due to an Israeli blockade impeding the flow of aid and other essential supplies into the territory. The Israeli-imposed starvation in Gaza has garnered international condemnation, even from close allies of the US and Israel. On Thursday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney slammed the denial of humanitarian aid to Gaza as a 'violation of international law'. French President Emmanuel Macron also said his country will recognise Palestine as a state at the United Nations General Assembly in September. Before leaving for the United Kingdom on Friday, Trump dismissed his French counterpart's statement, saying it 'doesn't carry any weight'. 'Here's the good news: What he says doesn't matter,' Trump said. 'It's not going to change anything.'
Al Jazeera
5 days ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Trump says Hamas will be ‘hunted down' as Gaza ceasefire talks wane
Washington, DC – United States President Donald Trump has suggested that Hamas is refusing to agree to a Gaza truce because it fears what comes after all the Israeli captives are released. Trump's comments at the White House on Friday appear to suggest that the US and Israel are not ready to guarantee a lasting end to the war but rather a short-term truce to get Israeli captives out of Gaza. 'We're down to the final hostages, and they know what happens after you get the final hostages,' the US president told reporters. 'And basically because of that, they really didn't want to make a deal.' Trump blamed the Palestinian group solely for the apparent collapse of the ceasefire talks, saying the group is going to be 'hunted down'. 'Hamas didn't really want to make a deal. I think they want to die, and it's very, very bad,' he said. On Thursday, Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said Washington was cutting short its involvement in the negotiations, accusing Hamas of showing 'a lack of desire to reach a ceasefire'. Israel also said it withdrew its negotiators from Qatar, where the ceasefire talks were taking place. Hamas expressed bewilderment at the US position, saying it had made 'a sincere commitment to the success of the mediators' efforts' to reach a deal. The group also said the mediators — Qatar and Egypt — welcomed its 'constructive and positive' position. Talks have been ongoing for months to secure a 60-day truce that would see the release of 10 Israeli captives and a pause in the Israeli bombardment of Palestinians in Gaza. Hamas has insisted that it is seeking a permanent ceasefire. Witkoff previously said the truce 'will lead to a lasting peace in Gaza'. However, Israeli officials repeatedly described plans to return to the fighting and remove all Palestinians from Gaza after the captives are released. In fact, Israeli Minister of Defence Israel Katz has said that the country would use the truce to move hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to an internment camp in southern Gaza, in preparation for their removal from the territory altogether. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during a visit to Washington, DC, earlier this month that Israel 'still has to finish the job in Gaza' despite the ceasefire talks. In February, Trump called for depopulating Gaza and turning the territory into a 'Riviera of the Middle East' — a proposal that legal experts say would amount to ethnic cleansing, a crime against humanity. Israel has systematically flattened large parts of Gaza, using bombardment, explosives and bulldozers in what advocates say is an effort to make the territory unliveable. Netanyahu has argued, however, that the departure of Palestinians would be 'voluntary'. But human rights experts warned that people do not actually have a choice when they are under the threat of bombardment and starvation. On Thursday, Trump suggested that Gaza is set to experience more violence, saying Israel is 'going to have to fight'. 'They're going to have to clean it up. You're going to have to get rid of it,' he said. Trump dismisses French recognition of Palestine The US president's comments come as deadly hunger continues to spread in Gaza due to an Israeli blockade impeding the flow of aid and other essential supplies into the territory. The Israeli-imposed starvation in Gaza has garnered international condemnation, even from close allies of the US and Israel. On Thursday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney slammed the denial of humanitarian aid to Gaza as a 'violation of international law'. French President Emmanuel Macron also said his country will recognise Palestine as a state at the United Nations General Assembly in September. Before leaving for the United Kingdom on Friday, Trump dismissed his French counterpart's statement, saying it 'doesn't carry any weight'. 'Here's the good news: What he says doesn't matter,' Trump said. 'It's not going to change anything.'
South China Morning Post
01-07-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Trump says Israel has agreed on Gaza ceasefire terms, warns Hamas to accept
US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Israel has agreed on terms for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza and warned Hamas to accept the deal before conditions worsen. Trump announced the development as he prepares to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for talks at the White House on Monday. The US leader has been increasing pressure on the Israeli government and Hamas to broker a ceasefire and hostage agreement and bring about an end to the war in Gaza. 'My Representatives had a long and productive meeting with the Israelis today on Gaza. Israel has agreed to the necessary conditions to finalize the 60 Day CEASEFIRE, during which time we will work with all parties to end the War,' Trump wrote, saying the Qataris and Egyptians would deliver the final proposal. 'I hope, for the good of the Middle East, that Hamas takes this Deal, because it will not get better – IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE,' he said. Trump's promise that it was his best and final offer may find a sceptical audience with Hamas. Even before the expiration of the war's longest ceasefire in March, Trump has repeatedly issued dramatic ultimatums to pressure Hamas to agree to longer pauses in the fighting that would see the release of more hostages and a return of more aid to Gaza's civilian populace.
RNZ News
01-07-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Trump says Israel has agreed to conditions to finalise 60-day Gaza ceasefire
US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office at the White House. Photo: SAUL LOEB / AFP President Donald Trump said on Tuesday (US time) Israel had agreed "to the necessary conditions to finalise" a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza during which efforts will be made to end the US ally's war in the Palestinian enclave. "Israel has agreed to the necessary conditions to finalize the 60 Day CEASEFIRE, during which time we will work with all parties to end the War," Trump said on social media. "The Qataris and Egyptians, who have worked very hard to help bring Peace, will deliver this final proposal. I hope, for the good of the Middle East, that Hamas takes this Deal, because it will not get better - IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE." More to come -Reuters
Irish Times
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Trump says Israel has agreed to conditions to finalise 60-day Gaza ceasefire
United States president Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Israel had agreed 'to the necessary conditions to finalize' a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza during which efforts will be made to end the US ally's war in the Palestinian enclave. 'Israel has agreed to the necessary conditions to finalize the 60 Day CEASEFIRE, during which time we will work with all parties to end the War,' Trump said on social media. 'The Qataris and Egyptians, who have worked very hard to help bring Peace, will deliver this final proposal. I hope, for the good of the Middle East, that Hamas takes this Deal, because it will not get better — IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE.' - Reuters
