Key points
- Ultimatum announced on Trump’s Truth Social platform Friday evening.
- Proposal unveiled with Netanyahu at White House on September 29.
- Plan calls for immediate ceasefire and Gaza reconstruction initiative.
- Trump brands Hamas “ruthless threat,” urges acceptance of “LAST CHANCE.”
- Mediators from Arab states, Turkey push Hamas for compliance.
- Hamas signals likely rejection, citing sovereignty and settlement concerns.
- Netanyahu endorses framework; Trump claims global support for accord.
ISLAMABAD: In a dramatic escalation of diplomatic pressure on the Gaza crisis, United States President Donald Trump has delivered a stark ultimatum to Hamas, demanding the Palestinian group accept a comprehensive US-brokered peace proposal by Sunday evening or risk unleashing “all hell” in the form of intensified military action.
Ultimatum announced online
The move, announced via Trump’s Truth Social platform on Friday, comes amid mounting international calls for an end to the protracted Israel-Gaza conflict, which has ravaged the Palestinian enclave and drawn global condemnation, including from Muslim-majority nations like Pakistan that have long championed the Palestinian cause.
The proposal, a 20-point framework unveiled by Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a White House meeting on September 29, envisions an immediate cessation of hostilities, the swift release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas, and a bold redevelopment initiative to rebuild Gaza’s war-torn infrastructure.
Hostage-prisoner exchange
Under the plan’s core terms, Hamas would free 20 living Israeli hostages—along with the remains of those presumed deceased—within 72 hours of the agreement, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian detainees currently held in Israeli prisons. Trump described the document as “a great one for ALL,” emphasising its potential to deliver lasting peace to the Middle East, though he ominously added that tranquillity would come “one way or the other.”
Fiery warning
In his fiery social media post, Trump branded Hamas a “ruthless and violent threat” and urged the group to seize what he called their “LAST CHANCE” before the clock runs out at 6pm US Eastern time on Sunday.
“The violence and bloodshed will stop. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES, ALL OF THEM, INCLUDING THE BODIES OF THOSE THAT ARE DEAD, NOW!” Trump declared, while imploring “all innocent Palestinians” to evacuate besieged areas of Gaza for safer zones, assuring them that aid would be readily available. Failure to comply, he warned, would trigger consequences “like no one has ever seen before,” signalling a possible surge in Israeli military operations backed by unwavering US support.
Mediators under pressure
The deadline has intensified behind-the-scenes diplomacy, with Arab and Turkish mediators reportedly leaning on Hamas leadership to deliver a favourable response. However, optimism remains tempered: A senior Hamas official has signalled that the group is poised to reject the offer, citing concerns over the plan’s failure to guarantee long-term Palestinian sovereignty or address broader issues like Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Critics have lambasted the proposal as skewed towards Israeli interests, arguing it prioritises Gaza’s “redevelopment” under external oversight while sidelining demands for a fully independent Palestinian state.
Netanyahu’s backing
From Israel’s side, Netanyahu has thrown his full weight behind the initiative, confirming during the White House unveiling that Jerusalem has endorsed the framework in principle. Trump, in a bold claim, asserted that “every country has signed on” to the accord, though details on participating nations—potentially including Gulf states or European allies—remain forthcoming.
As of Friday evening, Hamas had yet to issue an official stance, leaving the international community on edge as mediators race against the ticking clock.
Conflict’s bloody roots
The Gaza war, now in its second year, traces its roots to the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel that killed over 1,200 people and led to the abduction of more than 250 hostages. Israel’s retaliatory campaign has since claimed tens of thousands of Palestinian lives, displaced nearly the entire 2.3 million population of Gaza, and reduced much of the territory to rubble, according to United Nations estimates. The humanitarian catastrophe—marked by famine risks, collapsed healthcare systems, and widespread destruction—has fuelled protests across the Muslim world, with Pakistan’s government repeatedly calling for an unconditional ceasefire and renewed peace talks under UN auspices.
