US President Donald Trump has set a new deadline for Hamas to respond to a US peace plan for Gaza, warning that failure to accept it would lead to “all hell” breaking out against the militant group.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Friday, Trump stated that an agreement must be reached by 18:00 Washington time (22:00 GMT) on Sunday.
“If this LAST CHANCE agreement is not reached, all HELL, like no one has ever seen before, will break out against Hamas. THERE WILL BE PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.”
What is the peace deal all about?
The proposed plan calls for an immediate ceasefire, the release of 20 living Israeli hostages within 72 hours, and the return of the remains of deceased hostages in exchange for hundreds of Gazans detained by Israel.
Arab and Turkish mediators are reportedly pressuring Hamas to accept the plan, but a senior Hamas figure has indicated the group is likely to reject it.
The deadline, which follows Trump’s earlier statement on Tuesday that Hamas would have “three to four days” to respond, comes amid ongoing international mediation efforts.
Contact has been made with the head of Hamas’s military wing in Gaza, who has reportedly rejected the new US ceasefire proposal.
Some members of Hamas’s political leadership in Qatar, however, are said to be open to accepting the plan with modifications, though their influence is limited as they do not control the hostages held by the group.
A key challenge for Hamas is the requirement to release all hostages within the first 72 hours of the ceasefire, potentially surrendering their most valuable bargaining chip.
There are currently 48 hostages believed to be held in Gaza, with only 20 thought to be alive.
The peace proposal, which was developed by Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, also states that Hamas will not have a role in governing Gaza.
The plan leaves open the possibility for the eventual creation of a Palestinian state, though Netanyahu later reiterated his opposition to this idea, stating: “It’s not written in the agreement. We said we would strongly oppose a Palestinian state.”
According to the plan, once both sides agree to the terms, humanitarian aid will be sent to Gaza immediately.
It also calls for the formation of a “technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee” to temporarily govern Gaza, under the oversight of an international body called the “Board of Peace,” which would be chaired by Trump.
European and Middle Eastern leaders have generally welcomed the proposal, with the Palestinian Authority (PA) describing Trump’s efforts as “sincere and determined.”
‘Will finish the job’
Trump has made it clear that if Hamas rejects the plan, Israel will have the full backing of the United States to “finish the job of destroying the threat of Hamas.”
Netanyahu echoed this stance, stating that Israel “will finish the job” if Hamas does not accept or comply with the terms of the peace plan.
The US-backed peace plan comes amid escalating violence in Gaza, following a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed approximately 1,200 people and left 251 others as hostages.
Since then, Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 66,288 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Just in the 24 hours before midday Friday, at least 63 people were reported killed by Israeli military operations.
As Israel continues its offensive in Gaza City, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated this week that Israeli forces were “tightening the siege” around the city in an effort to secure the release of the remaining hostages.