US President Donald Trump warned on Monday that “all hell will break out” if Hamas does not release the remaining hostages by Saturday.
US President Trump then issued the Saturday deadline for Hamas toes release the remaining hostages.
“If all of the hostages aren’t returned by Saturday at 12 o’clock,” he said, adding, “all bets are off and let hell break out. I’d say they ought to be returned by 12 o’clock on Saturday. And if they’re not returned, all of them, not in dribs and drabs, not two and one and three and four and two.”
Trump did leave room for departure from the deadline.
“I’m speaking for myself. Israel can override it. But from myself, Saturday at 12 o’clock, and if they’re not, they’re not here, all hell is going to break out,” Trump said.
The threat followed Egypt’s rejection on Monday of “any compromise” that would violate Palestinians’ rights, in a statement issued after Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty’s meeting with his US counterpart in Washington.
“Hamas will find out what I mean,” he said reacting to the question about the nature of the retaliation to Hamas’s failure to deliver at a news briefing in the Oval Office, which is increasingly becoming the norm.
Of the 251 hostages taken by Hamas on October 7, 2023, 73 remain in captivity, while Israel has confirmed the deaths of 34. The rest were freed during a six-week ceasefire, with hostages exchanged for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. The most recent release took place last Saturday, when Hamas freed the remaining hostages in exchange for 183 Palestinian prisoners.
(With IANS inputs)