Cnn
–
US President Donald Trump delivered what he said was a “last warning” in Hamas to immediately release all the hostages in Gaza – in a decision that came only a few hours after the White House confirmed that it was negotiating directly with the militant group.
“Release all the hostages now, not later, and immediately return all the corpses of the people you murdered, or it’s over for you,” posted Trump on Truth Social on Wednesday, shortly after meeting eight hostages released in the White House.
Trump wrote that he would send to Israel “everything he needs to finish work” and warned that “not a single member of Hamas will be safe if you do not do what I say”.
The comments intervened a few hours after the United States confirmed that the information according to which it negotiated directly with Hamas on the hostages and the cease-fire of Gaza, in a decision that goes against its tradition of not talking to the groups he considers terrorist organizations. Axios first pointed out the talks.
The United States, which has appointed Hamas as a foreign terrorist organization in 1997, traditionally does not speak with terrorist organizations, although there have been exceptions – Obama and Trump administrations negotiated with the Taliban, which was appointed a terrorist organization following September 11.
The White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was invited Wednesday why the United States was negotiating “directly and for the first time with Hamas”.
“With regard to the negotiations to which you refer, first of all, the special envoy which is engaged in these negotiations has the power to speak to anyone,” she said, referring to the choice of Trump for the envoy of hostages, Adam Boehler.
“Israel was consulted on this question, and look at, dialogue and the word to people around the world to do what is in the best interest of the American people is something that the president has proven, that is what he believes to be (a) good faith to make what is good for the American people,” added Leavitt.
CNN contacted the National Security Council to comment.
The office of the Israeli Prime Minister said that he “expressed in the United States his position concerning direct talks with Hamas”.
The Israeli declaration did not specify whether Israel had a prior knowledge of talks or if it learns until later. The declaration also did not indicate what was the position of Israel.
Earlier Wednesday, a source said that CNN Israel was aware of the talks.
CNN asked Hamas comments.
A great Israeli diplomat seemed to refer to talks in an interview with Fox Business.
“Instead of putting Israel under pressure, President (Donald) Trump puts Hamas under pressure and that is the right thing to do,” said Akunis, Consul General of Israel in New York.
“If the White House wants to speak directly in Hamas and put them under pressure to release more hostages, we will be very happy to see more hostages with their families and in Israel,” he said.
In his comments on Truth Social, Trump also directly addressed the inhabitants of Gaza, saying: “A beautiful future is waiting, but not if you hold hostages”.
“If you do, you are dead!” Make an intelligent decision. Release the hostages now, or there will be hell to pay later! Said Trump.
Trump previously declared that he considered Gaza as a “large real estate site” that he saw an opportunity to develop and that he plans that Gaza could become the “Riviera du Middle East”.
Hamas warned that Trump’s comments threatened Wednesday to undermine Gaza’s ceasefire and hostage it.
Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem told CNN that the remarks “would complicate the questions concerning the cease-fire agreement” and enhanced the government of Israel to avoid the implementation of the agreement.
Qassem said Hamas had fulfilled its obligations in the first phase under the United States agreement and that the Israeli government “escapes negotiations for the second phase”.
He urged the United States to put pressure on Israel to enter the second phase, “as stipulated in the agreement”.
On Sunday, one day after the expiration of the first phase, Israel blocked humanitarian aid in Gaza, in response to Hamas rejecting a new Israeli proposal to prolong the ceasefire without any commitment to end the war or to fully withdraw from the troops.