US President Trump said that Hamas “didn’t really want to make a deal” and indicated he would support Israel’s military “finishing off Hamas in the Gaza Strip.”
Hamas has reinstated orders to execute the remaining hostages in Gaza should Israel attempt a rescue operation.
London-based Asharq Al-Awsat reports that Hamas had previously dropped the order during a brief January ceasefire but has now brought it back after the United States walked away from ceasefire talks in Qatar on Thursday.
At the time, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff accused Hamas of showing “a lack of desire” to reach an agreement. Israeli negotiators were also recalled from Doha following the breakdown in talks.
Leaked details of Hamas’s demands indicate the Iranian-backed terror group wanted 200 terrorists serving life sentences plus 2,000 taken prisoner in Gaza freed for each group of 10 living Israeli hostages.
Hamas also continues to maintain that any deal must include guarantees for a permanent ceasefire and complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
At the same time, Israel insists it will not end the conflict until Hamas surrenders power and disarms completely.
Of the 50 Israeli hostages remaining in Gaza, approximately 20 are believed to still be alive, while the Israeli military has managed to rescue only eight hostages alive since the war began nearly two years ago.
Sources cited by the Times of Israel indicate that Hamas operatives holding hostages have “standing orders” to kill captives if Israeli forces approach, making rescue operations extremely dangerous.
On Friday, US President Trump said that Hamas “didn’t really want to make a deal” and indicated he would support Israel’s military “finishing off Hamas in the Gaza Strip.”
When asked about the terror group’s negotiating stance, Trump told reporters “I think they want to die.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed Trump’s assessment, stating that “together with our US allies, we are now considering alternative options to bring our hostages home.”
Neither the US nor Israel has explained what these alternatives might include.
Meanwhile, hostage families continue to pressure the Israeli government for a comprehensive deal, with thousands gathering weekly in Tel Aviv calling for the immediate release of all remaining captives.
Many families have accused Netanyahu of prioritizing political considerations over their loved ones’ lives, particularly given his reliance on far-right coalition partners who oppose concessions to Hamas.
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