“to release or pay dearly”: Trump again warns Hamas, seeks the release of all hostages

President Donald Trump reiterated on Thursday his warning that Hamas must release the remaining Israeli hostages immediately. The group, considered terrorist by the United States, said it would only do so in exchange for a lasting ceasefire. As American Voice correspondent Patsy Widakuswara reports, Hamas accused the US and Israel of trying to withdraw from negotiations.

As Palestinians try to rebuild their lives amid the fragile Gaza truce, President Donald Trump gave Hamas, a designated US terrorist group, an ultimatum: to release all Israeli hostages immediately, or to “, expensive”.

On Thursday, he was asked what he meant by that, follows A2.

You'll see. I was honored to spend a lot of time yesterday with some of the released hostages and I can't believe how badly they've been treated”, President Trump replied.

He made the warning Wednesday after meeting with them.

Mr. Trump's administration sent $4 billion in arms to Israel this week, the second time in a month that used emergency authority to bypass Congress' approval for sale.

A Hamas spokesman said the best way to free the hostages is through ceasefire negotiations. Washington's policy was not to negotiate with terrorists. But Mr. Trump confirmed that his administration has begun direct talks with Hamas on the release of hostages.

We are helping Israel in these discussions because we are talking about Israeli hostages. And we're not doing anything about Hamas. We don't give money”, he said.

These talks seem to be cut off from negotiations between Hamas and Israel to ensure the second phase of Gaza's ceasefire. The first phase ended last weekend.

Many people predict the ceasefire will fail because they expect the prime minister [Benjamin] Netanyah to start hitting Gaza again. And once that happens, there will be no more release of hostages”, says Mirete Mabrouk, senior associate at the Middle East Institute.

Meanwhile, Arab countries approved on Tuesday a counterproposal to Mr. Trump's call to expel Palestinians and turn Gaza into a tourist destination. Under the Arab plan, Palestinians will stay there and Hamas will be excluded from government. Israel has rejected the plan.

The Arab countries plan is a first “trust opening”, President Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff told the Voice of America. He did not say whether Palestinians will be left in Gaza.

We're assessing everything there. So it's a little early to comment”.

Israel has also blocked all aid in Gaza since Sunday, repeating the long-standing allegations that they are going to Hamas, which international agencies deny.

Currently, there is a shortage of fuel in the territory, which further endangers basic services such as garbage disposal. / Voice of America