Israel Issues Final Warning to Hamas as Trump Pushes for Hostage Deal
Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, has issued a stark ultimatum to Hamas: lay down your arms and release hostages or face total annihilation. The warning came Monday as Israeli forces intensified operations around Gaza City, which the military has vowed to capture in its bid to dismantle Hamas after nearly two years of war.
The escalation follows comments from US President Donald Trump, who insisted Hamas must accept a deal to free hostages still held in Gaza. According to Israeli military figures, 47 hostages remain in captivity, including 25 believed to be dead.
Heavy Strikes on Gaza City
Gaza’s civil defence agency reported 48 Palestinians killed on Sunday in Israeli attacks, with another 10 deaths overnight around Gaza City. Israel has bombed three high-rise towers in as many days, claiming the buildings were used by Hamas to track Israeli troop movements. Hamas denied the allegations, accusing Israel of targeting residential areas.
“This is a final warning to Hamas murderers and rapists in Gaza and abroad: release the hostages and surrender your weapons — or Gaza will be destroyed,” Katz declared on X (formerly Twitter). He added that the military is preparing to “expand operations” and promised a “massive hurricane” over Gaza City.
Trump’s Last Warning
Trump, who described his latest intervention as a “last warning”, said:
“The Israelis have accepted my terms. It is time for Hamas to accept as well.”
He did not provide details of the proposal, but hinted progress was being made, saying: “I think we’re going to have a deal on Gaza very soon.”
US outlet Axios reported that White House envoy Steve Witkoff recently sent Hamas a new ceasefire and hostage-release proposal.
Hamas Ready for Talks
In response, Hamas said it was ready to “immediately sit at the negotiating table”, but its demands remain unchanged. The group insists on:
- A clear declaration of the end of the war,
- A full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza,
- And the establishment of a Palestinian-led committee to govern the Strip.
Israel has so far rejected those terms, demanding Hamas surrender its weapons, disband its forces, and release all hostages at once.
Human Cost of the War
The war was triggered by Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack, which killed 1,219 people in Israel, mostly civilians. In retaliation, Israel’s offensive has killed over 64,000 Palestinians, the majority civilians, according to Gaza’s health ministry figures cited by the United Nations.
The rising civilian toll, relentless bombings, and looming Israeli ground offensive on Gaza City have fueled fears of an even deadlier phase in the conflict.
