Demonstrators maintain photographs depicting the faces of Israeli hostages who’re being held within the Gaza Strip, throughout a protest demanding their launch from Hamas captivity, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Thursday, March 6, 2025. (AP Photograph)
CAIRO (AP) — The Hamas militant group on Thursday disregarded President Donald Trump’s newest risk and reiterated that it’s going to solely free the remaining Israeli hostages in trade for a long-lasting ceasefire within the Gaza Strip.
Hamas accused Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of making an attempt to again out of the ceasefire settlement they reached in January.
The settlement requires negotiations over a second part wherein the hostages can be launched in trade for extra Palestinian prisoners, a everlasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Hamas spokesman Abdel-Latif al-Qanoua stated the “finest path to free the remaining Israeli hostages” is thru negotiations on that part, which had been supposed to start in early February. Solely restricted preparatory talks have been held up to now.
On Wednesday, Trump issued what he stated was a “final warning” to Hamas after assembly with eight former hostages. The White Home in the meantime confirmed it had held unprecedented direct talks with the militant group, which Israel and Western nations view as a terrorist group.
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“Launch the entire Hostages now, not later, and instantly return the entire useless our bodies of the individuals you murdered, or it’s OVER for you,” Trump wrote on his Fact Social platform. “Solely sick and twisted individuals hold our bodies, and you might be sick and twisted!”
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Each Israel and Hamas have a longstanding observe of holding onto the stays of their adversaries in an effort to commerce them in hostage-prisoner offers.
Hamas is believed to nonetheless have 24 dwelling hostages taken within the Oct. 7, 2023, assault that triggered the warfare, together with Israeli-American Edan Alexander. It’s also holding the our bodies of 34 others who had been both killed within the preliminary assault or in captivity, in addition to the stays of a soldier killed within the 2014 warfare.
Hamas launched 25 Israeli hostages and the our bodies of eight extra in trade for almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners within the first, 42-day part of the ceasefire, which ended on Saturday.
Israel helps what it says is a brand new U.S. plan for the second part wherein Hamas would launch half the remaining hostages instantly and the remainder when a everlasting ceasefire is negotiated. Hamas has rejected the proposal and says it’s sticking with the settlement signed in January.
Israel has minimize off the supply of meals, gasoline, medication and different provides to Gaza’s roughly 2 million Palestinians in an try and strain Hamas into accepting the brand new association. It has threatened “extra penalties” if Hamas doesn’t resume the discharge of hostages.
It’s unclear if the U.S.-Hamas talks made any progress. The Trump administration has pledged full help for Israel’s important warfare objectives of returning all of the hostages and eradicating Hamas, which can be incompatible.
Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 individuals, largely civilians, within the Oct. 7 assault and took a complete of 251 individuals hostage. Most have been launched in ceasefire agreements or different preparations. Israeli forces have rescued eight dwelling hostages and recovered the our bodies of dozens extra.
Israel’s navy offensive has killed over 48,000 Palestinians, largely girls and kids, in accordance with Gaza’s Well being Ministry, which doesn’t say how lots of the useless had been militants. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 fighters, with out offering proof.
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The offensive destroyed huge areas in Gaza and displaced most of its inhabitants. Lots of of 1000’s of individuals are dwelling in tents, schools-turned-shelters or war-damaged buildings, and the inhabitants depends on worldwide assist.
