WASHINGTON (Reuters) – US President Donald Trump has warned Hamas that he would propose ending the ceasefire if all hostages held by it in Gaza are not freed by Saturday.
Talking to reporters in the Oval Office, the US president issued the warning after Hamas announced that it would stop releasing the hostages over alleged ceasefire violations by Israeli forces. He also said that he would talk to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the issue.
“As far as I’m concerned, if all of the hostages aren’t returned by Saturday at 12 o’clock, I think it’s an appropriate time. I would say, cancel it and all bets are off and let hell break out. I’d say they ought to be returned by 12 o’clock on Saturday,” Trump was quoted as having said by international media.
Trump also warned Jordan and Egypt of stopping the aid if they do not take Palestinian refugees being relocated from Gaza. The US president is scheduled to hold a meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah today, Tuesday.
The remarks from Trump come days after he proposed a plan to takeover Gaza and relocate the Palestinians from the region.
Earlier this month, Trump expressed his intention to “take over” Gaza while the Palestinians will have to leave the area, a move that could reignite violence in the region where peace has recently returned following the a deal between Israel and Hamas.
He announced it while addressing a press conference along with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stating that US troops will be deployed in the Gaza strip if needed. He said Gaza will be turned into the “Riviera of the Middle East” under his redevelopment plan.
“The US will take over the Gaza Strip and we will do a job with it, too. We’ll own it,” Trump said, adding that the move aimed to “supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area”.
“This was not a decision made lightly. Everybody I’ve spoken to loves the idea of the United States owning that piece of land, developing and creating thousands of jobs with something that will be magnificent,” he said.
He hoped that displaced Palestinians in Gaza would “go to other countries of interest with humanitarian hearts”, though he suggested they would also continue living there.
The proposal drew backlash from world leaders as the opposed it stating that it would make the things worse.
Saudi Arabia rejected US President Donald Trump’s proposals regarding Gaza, saying that the relations with Israel could not be normalized without the establishment of a Palestinian state.
According to a foreign news agency report, Saudi Arabia’s response came after Trump suggested that Gaza residents should relocate to Egypt or Jordan.
Reacting to Trump’s recent statement about US control over Gaza, Saudi Arabia firmly rejected any attempt to displace Palestinians from their land.
