If you hold hostages, you are dead: Donald Trump gives 'last warning' to Hamas after US engages in talk
In a shift in the US policy, President Donald Trump has engaged himself in the talks with Hamas, the militant organisation which is in control of Gaza, to secure the release of American hostages while warning of “hell to pay” if the Palestinian militant group failed to comply, media reports said.
Trump on Wednesday took to social media to demand the release of hostages by Hamas and the return of all those who have been killed in the ongoing conflict.
"Release all of the Hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you," Trump wrote on social media.
Trump issued the warning just a day after the US officials held talks with Hamas.
The White House had confirmed it saying that Washington was in talks with Hamas.
"These are ongoing talks and discussions. I am not going to detail them here. There are American lives at stake," said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt as quoted by The Indian Express.
"The President has proven time and again that dialogue and talking to people around the world is what he believes will serve the best interests of the American people," she said.
As per reports, Hamas has been holding 59 people hostage since its siege of Gaza in 2006.
Reports claim only 22 of the hostages are alive.
The Donald Trump administration has been conducting secret talks with Hamas on the possibility of releasing American hostages being held in Gaza, Axios reported on Wednesday, citing two unnamed sources who have direct knowledge regarding the meetings.
The talk gains special significance as the US never engaged with Hamas directly before since the group was designated as a terrorist organisation in 1997.
US presidential envoy for hostage affairs Adam Boehler held talks with Hamas in Doha in the past weeks.
Although the US government had spoken to Israel about the possibility of holding talks with Hamas, Jerusalem learned about the same through other channels.
The talks are concentrating on American hostages, but according to Axios' sources, discussions regarding a broader deal to release all remaining hostages have also been had.
However, no deal over a long-term truce has been reached so far.
Steve Witkoff, special envoy to the White House, planned to meet the prime minister of Qatar regarding ceasefire negotiations, but cancelled the trip after he saw that there was no interest from Hamas, according to reports.
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