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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.

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.

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 ... Read more