President Donald Trump issued a sharp ultimatum to Hamas on Saturday, warning the group that the United States “will not tolerate delays” in implementing a hostage-release plan negotiated through Egypt.
Two U.S. envoys — real estate magnate Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s senior adviser and son-in-law — are heading to Cairo to finalize talks mediated by Egyptian intelligence. According to a senior White House official who spoke on condition of anonymity, the goal is to “secure the release of all hostages and stabilize the situation in Gaza.”
Trump’s Plan in Motion
Egyptian outlet Al-Qahera News, which maintains ties with Cairo’s intelligence services, confirmed indirect talks between Hamas and Israel scheduled for Sunday and Monday in Egypt’s capital. The discussions aim to iron out logistics for an “exchange of all prisoners and detainees under Trump’s proposal.”
The Trump ultimatum to Hamas comes amid a fragile truce effort and growing impatience in Washington. “The president has made it clear: this is a last opportunity for Hamas to show good faith,” the White House source added.
Israel Holds Its Line
Despite calls from Washington to pause military operations, the Israeli Defense Forces continue to strike targets in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday that he expects “all hostages to return home in the coming days,” hinting that sustained “military and diplomatic pressure” forced Hamas to yield.
Netanyahu also authorized Israeli negotiators to join the Cairo talks but reaffirmed that “Hamas will be disarmed — either diplomatically through Trump’s plan or militarily by Israel.”
The Jewish holiday of Sukkot, which began Monday, has become a symbolic deadline for families desperate to see their loved ones freed.
Hamas Signals Willingness to Negotiate
On Friday, Hamas expressed readiness to begin “immediate negotiations” for a hostage exchange and an end to the nearly two-year war in Gaza.
Trump publicly urged Israel to “halt airstrikes so hostages can be extracted quickly and safely,” but violence persisted. Palestinian health officials reported at least 31 deaths from Israeli bombardments on Saturday alone.
According to hospital director Mohamed Abu Salmiya, 26 of those killed were in Gaza City — the focus of Israel’s latest offensive aimed at dismantling Hamas’ last major stronghold.
Inside the U.S. Proposal
The American plan envisions:
- A 72-hour ceasefire
- The release of all hostages
- The gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza
- The disarmament and exile of Hamas fighters
- The establishment of a transitional authority led by technocrats under Trump’s supervision, supported by an international peacekeeping mission
Notably, the plan excludes Hamas from any future governance of Gaza.
While Netanyahu voiced conditional support, he later insisted Israel would maintain control over most of the territory “for security reasons.”
Hamas, meanwhile, offered to release all surviving hostages and return the bodies of those killed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners — a move that U.S. officials described as “a starting point, not an agreement.”
The Stakes
The hostages were seized during the October 7, 2023, Hamas assault on Israeli territory, which killed 1,219 people, mostly civilians. Of the 251 hostages taken, Israeli authorities say 47 remain captive, including at least 25 presumed dead.
For now, Cairo has once again become the nerve center of Middle East diplomacy — and Trump’s next major foreign policy test. Whether Hamas complies or not, Washington is making clear that the clock is ticking.
