Trump issues 'last warning' to Hamas to release all remaining hostages held in Gaza
President Donald Trump on Wednesday issued what he called a 맥스카지노last warning맥스카지노 to Hamas to release all remaining hostages held in Gaza, directing a sharply worded message after the White House confirmed that he had recently dispatched an envoy for unprecedented direct talks with the militant group.
In a statement on his Truth Social platform soon after meeting at the White House with eight former hostages, Trump added that he was 맥스카지노sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job.맥스카지노
맥스카지노Release 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,맥스카지노 Trump said. 맥스카지노Only sick and twisted people keep bodies, and you are sick and twisted!맥스카지노
The pointed language from Trump came after the White House said Wednesday that U.S. officials have engaged in 맥스카지노ongoing talks and discussions맥스카지노 with Hamas officials, stepping away from a long-held U.S. policy of not directly engaging with the militant group.
Confirmation of the talks in the Qatari capital of Doha came as the Israel-Hamas ceasefire remains in the balance. It맥스카지노s the first known direct engagement between the United States and Hamas since the State Department designated the group a foreign terrorist organization in 1997.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt declined to provide detail on the substance of talks, but said President Donald Trump has authorized his envoys to 맥스카지노talk to anyone.맥스카지노 Egyptian and Qatari intermediaries have served as mediators with Hamas for the U.S. and Israel since the group launched its Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel that sparked the war.
맥스카지노Look, dialogue and talking to people around the world to do what맥스카지노s in the best interest of the American people is something that the president ... believes is a good-faith effort to do what맥스카지노s right for the American people,맥스카지노 she said.
Leavitt added that Israel has been consulted about the direct engagement with Hamas officials, and noted that there are 맥스카지노American lives at stake.맥스카지노
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu맥스카지노s office offered a terse acknowledgement of the U.S.-Hamas talks. 맥스카지노Israel has expressed to the United States its position regarding direct talks with Hamas,맥스카지노 the prime minister맥스카지노s office said.
Israeli officials say about 24 living hostages 맥스카지노 including Edan Alexander, an American citizen 맥스카지노 as well as the bodies of at least 35 others are believed to still be held in Gaza.
Adam Boehler, Trump맥스카지노s nominee to be special envoy for hostage affairs, led the direct talks with Hamas. Boehler, founder and CEO of Rubicon Founders, a healthcare investment firm, was a lead negotiator on the Abraham Accords team during Trump맥스카지노s first term that strove to win broader recognition of Israel in the Arab world.
The talks, which took place last month, focused mainly on the release of American hostages, and a potential end of the war without Hamas in power in Gaza, according to a Hamas official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
The official added that no progress was made but 맥스카지노the step itself is promising맥스카지노 and more talks are expected. Egyptian and Qatari mediators helped arrange the talks.
The direct engagement comes as a continuation of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire remains uncertain. Trump has signaled that he has no intentions of pushing Netanyahu away from a return to combat if Hamas doesn맥스카지노t agree to terms of a new ceasefire proposal, which the Israelis have billed as being drafted by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff.
The new plan would require Hamas to release half its remaining hostages 맥스카지노 the militant group맥스카지노s main bargaining chip 맥스카지노 in exchange for a ceasefire extension and a promise to negotiate a lasting truce. Israel made no mention of releasing more Palestinian prisoners, a key component of the first phase.
Trump on Wednesday welcomed eight former hostages 맥스카지노 Iair Horn, Omer Shem Tov, Eli Sharabi, Keith Siegel, Aviva Siegel, Naama Levy, Doron Steinbrecher and Noa Argamani 맥스카지노 to the White House.
맥스카지노The President listened intently to their heartbreaking stories,맥스카지노 Leavitt said. "The hostages thanked President Trump for his steadfast efforts to bring all of the hostages home.맥스카지노
Keith Siegel, an Israeli-American released last month as part of the ceasefire, said they came to the White House to express their appreciation to Trump and Witkoff, the Mideast envoy.
맥스카지노We urged them to continue their enormous efforts. They have done so much. We trust them and we know they will get the job done to get all the rest of the 59 remaining hostages held in Gaza back to their families,맥스카지노 he said in a statement.
The talks between U.S. and Hamas officials were first reported earlier Wednesday by the news site Axios.
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Magdy reported from Cairo.