Hamas Responds to Donald Trump's Threat

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Hamas said President Donald's Trump's ultimatum to the group to release its remaining hostages only encourages the Israeli government and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu towards a more radical approach to Gaza.

"Such positions are what give the war criminal Netanyahu the strength and ability to continue his crimes," Salama Maroof, spokesperson for the Hamas-controlled Gaza government said Thursday.

Why It Matters

The latest exchange could make a return to conflict more likely than the continuation of a ceasefire under which some Israeli hostages were freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

President Donald Trump issued a final ultimatum to Hamas on Wednesday after it was reported that U.S. officials were engaged in "ongoing talks and discussions" with Hamas officials — the first such engagement since the group was designated a foreign terrorist organization by the State Department in 1997.

Hamas Release Hostage
Israeli hostage Eliya Cohen, centre, is escorted by Hamas fighters before being handed over to the Red Cross in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. Abdel Kareem Hana/AP Photo

What To Know

In a Truth Social post, Trump ordered Hamas to release the remaining hostages captured in the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, and the bodies of the dead. He said if those demands were not met "it is OVER for you." Trump said he was sending Israel "everything it needs to finish the job."

Maroof shared a screenshot of Trump's post on his X account, stating that "people or their resistance in Gaza have never been the problem, but the problem has always been the occupation and what is happening today in the West Bank and Jerusalem is the best evidence."

Hamas killed some 1,200 Israelis in the initial attack and took around 250 hostages. At least 48,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's Gaza offensive, according to officials in the Hamas-run territory cited by the Associated Press.

What People Are Saying

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich: "Thank you, Mr. President, for your commitment to Israel's security and the security of the entire free world and for your concern for the return of all our hostages to their homes."

Hamas Spokesperson Hazem Qassem: "Trump's threats complicate matters related to the ceasefire agreement and push the occupation's government to become more radical. If Trump cares about releasing the occupation's hostages, he should pressure Netanyahu to begin negotiations for the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. We fear that the occupation will take advantage of Trump's statements to intensify the Gaza siege and starvation policy against its residents."

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres: "Serious negotiations for the ceasefire in all its facets must be resumed without delay. All hostages must be released — immediately, unconditionally and in a dignified manner."

What Happens Next

The Israel-Hamas ceasefire's continuation remains uncertain. Trump has indicated he would not prevent Netanyahu from resuming combat if Hamas rejects the terms of a new agreement.

Hamas fighter
A Hamas fighter in the southern Gaza Strip on February 22, 2025. Photo by YOUSSEF ALZANOUN/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

Updated on 03/06/2025 at 3.41 a.m. ET with comment from U.N. Secretary General

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About the writer

Amira El-Fekki is a Newsweek reporter based in Dubai. Her focus is reporting on politics and society in the Middle East. She has in depth knowledge of Arab communities and has covered human rights issues extensively. Amira joined Newsweek in 2025 from The Wall Street Journal and had previously worked at the Daily News Egypt. She studied journalism at the Modern Sciences and Arts University in Cairo. You can get in touch with Amira El-Fekki by emailing a.fekki@newsweek.com. You can find her on X @afekki Languages: English. Arabic. French.


Amira El-Fekki is a Newsweek reporter based in Dubai. Her focus is reporting on politics and society in the Middle ... Read more