CAIRO (AP) — The Hamas militant group on Thursday disregarded President Donald Trump’s newest risk and reiterated that it’s going to solely free the remaining Israeli hostages in change for a long-lasting ceasefire within the Gaza Strip.
Hamas accused Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of making an attempt to again out of the ceasefire settlement they reached in January. The settlement requires negotiations over a second section through which the hostages could be launched in change for extra Palestinian prisoners, a everlasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Hamas spokesman Abdel-Latif al-Qanoua mentioned the “best path to free the remaining Israeli hostages” is thru negotiations on that section, which had been supposed to start in early February. Solely restricted preparatory talks have been held up to now.
On Wednesday, Trump issued what he mentioned was a “last warning” to Hamas after assembly with eight former hostages. The White Home in the meantime confirmed it had held unprecedented direct talks with the militant group, which Israel and Western international locations view as a terrorist group.
“Release all of the Hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you,” Trump wrote on his Reality Social platform. “Only sick and twisted people keep bodies, and you are sick and twisted!”
Each Israel and Hamas have a longstanding apply of holding onto the stays of their adversaries with the intention to commerce them in hostage-prisoner offers.
Hamas is believed to nonetheless have 24 residing hostages taken within the Oct. 7, 2023, assault that triggered the battle, together with Israeli-American Edan Alexander. It’s also holding the our bodies of 34 others who had been both killed within the preliminary assault or in captivity, in addition to the stays of a soldier killed within the 2014 battle.
Hamas launched 25 Israeli hostages and the our bodies of eight extra in change for almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners within the first, 42-day section of the ceasefire, which ended on Saturday.
Israel helps what it says is a brand new U.S. plan for the second section through which Hamas would launch half the remaining hostages instantly and the remainder when a everlasting ceasefire is negotiated. Hamas has rejected the proposal and says it’s sticking with the settlement signed in January.
Israel has minimize off the supply of meals, gas, drugs and different provides to Gaza’s roughly 2 million Palestinians in an try and stress Hamas into accepting the brand new association. It has threatened “additional consequences” if Hamas doesn’t resume the discharge of hostages.
It’s unclear if the U.S.-Hamas talks made any progress. The Trump administration has pledged full assist for Israel’s fundamental battle targets of returning all of the hostages and eradicating Hamas, which can be incompatible.
Mkhaimar Abusada, a political science professor at Gaza’s Al-Azhar College who’s at the moment in Egypt, mentioned direct talks between the U.S. and Hamas might make it tough for Israel to renew the battle.
“The current U.S. administration is trying to avoid a return to war in Gaza in all possible ways,” he mentioned.
Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 individuals, principally civilians, within the Oct. 7 assault and took a complete of 251 individuals hostage. Most have been launched in ceasefire agreements or different preparations. Israeli forces have rescued eight residing hostages and recovered the our bodies of dozens extra.
Israel’s navy offensive has killed over 48,000 Palestinians, principally girls and youngsters, in keeping with Gaza’s Well being Ministry, which doesn’t say how lots of the lifeless had been militants. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 fighters, with out offering proof.
The offensive destroyed huge areas in Gaza and displaced most of its inhabitants. Lots of of 1000’s of persons are residing in tents, schools-turned-shelters or war-damaged buildings, and the inhabitants depends on worldwide assist.