US President Donald Trump announced on social media that he is delivering a “last warning” to Hamas, urging the Palestinian militant group to negotiate a deal for the release of hostages held in Gaza. Trump stated, “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.” He did not provide further details regarding the consequences or the terms himself.
In response, Hamas expressed readiness to “immediately sit at the negotiating table” following discussions that it characterized as “some ideas from the American side aimed at reaching a ceasefire agreement.” Reports from Axios indicated that White House envoy Steve Witkoff had presented a new proposal for a hostage release and ceasefire deal to Hamas the previous week. Although the White House has yet to disclose specifics about this proposal, Trump remained optimistic on Sunday, stating, “You’ll be hearing about it pretty soon,” while suggesting progress in negotiations. He noted, “We had some very good discussions. Good things could happen,” indicating a potential deal on Gaza might be imminent.
This announcement follows a similar ultimatum Trump issued in early March, where he demanded Hamas free all remaining hostages and return the bodies of deceased hostages, warning that failure to comply would lead to severe consequences. The Israeli charitable organization, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, responded positively to Trump’s latest intervention, labeling it a “true breakthrough.”
The backdrop to these diplomatic efforts includes a series of devastating air raids on Gaza City, where Israel’s military has intensified its assault. On Sunday, Israeli forces targeted a residential tower, marking the third such attack within a few days. Witness Mohammed Al-Nazli described the impact of the strike on the Al-Roya tower as “felt like an earthquake.” At least 48 individuals reportedly lost their lives in the latest round of strikes.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the military campaign in Gaza was being “deepened,” stating that approximately 100,000 residents had already evacuated Gaza City. He accused Hamas of obstructing these evacuations and of using civilians as “human shields,” which has heightened concerns regarding the worsening humanitarian situation for Palestinians in the area.
Protests erupted in Israel over the weekend, with demonstrators urging the government to reconsider its strategy in Gaza City, largely due to concerns for hostages still believed to be in the region. The previous attacks by Hamas on October 7, which resulted in 1,219 fatalities, mostly civilians, have led to a fierce Israeli retaliatory offensive that, according to estimates from the health ministry in Hamas-controlled Gaza, has claimed at least 64,368 Palestinian lives, most of whom are civilians.
Due to media restrictions in Gaza and challenges accessing many affected areas, independent verification of casualty figures and details regarding the ongoing conflict remains difficult.
