WASHINGTON, D.C. – US President Donald Trump has issued what he called a “last warning” to Hamas, urging the Palestinian militant group to accept a deal to release hostages held in Gaza.
“The Israelis have accepted my terms. It is time for Hamas to accept as well. I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting. This is my last warning,” Trump wrote on social media without providing further details.
In a swift response, Hamas said it was ready to “immediately sit at the negotiating table,” noting it had received “some ideas from the American side aimed at reaching a ceasefire agreement.”
The developments come amid fresh reports from Axios that White House envoy Steve Witkoff presented a new proposal for a hostage and ceasefire deal to Hamas last week.
While the White House has not released details, Trump told reporters late Sunday that negotiations were progressing positively.
“We had some very good discussions. Good things could happen. I think we’re going to have a deal on Gaza very soon,” he said.
Trump has previously issued ultimatums to Hamas, most recently in March, when he demanded the group release all remaining hostages and return the bodies of those killed.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, an Israeli campaign group, welcomed Trump’s latest intervention, calling it a “true breakthrough.”
Hamas militants seized 251 hostages during the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, with 47 still believed to be in Gaza.
The Israeli military says 25 of them are dead and is seeking the return of their remains.
Intensified Israeli Offensive
The diplomatic developments coincided with renewed Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City.
On Sunday, the Israeli military bombed the Al-Roya residential tower — the third high-rise hit in as many days — claiming Hamas was using the buildings for surveillance.
Witnesses described the strike as devastating. “It felt like an earthquake,” said Mohammed Al-Nazli.
According to Gaza’s civil defense agency, at least 48 people were killed in Sunday’s attacks.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the military was “deepening” its assault on Gaza City, estimating that around 100,000 residents had already fled.
He accused Hamas of blocking evacuations and using civilians as “human shields.”
The strikes have heightened concerns over worsening humanitarian conditions.
Israeli protesters on Saturday urged their government to halt the offensive, fearing for the fate of hostages still believed to be held in the city.
The October 7 Hamas assault killed 1,219 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to official figures.
Israel’s subsequent offensive has killed at least 64,368 Palestinians, the majority civilians, according to figures from Gaza’s health ministry, which the UN has deemed credible.
Independent verification remains difficult due to access restrictions in the enclave.
