US President Trump Says Hamas "Didn't Want to Make a Deal" on Ceasefire
US President Donald Trump stated on Friday that Hamas did not want to make a deal regarding a ceasefire and the release of hostages in Gaza, citing the group's lack of bargaining chips. Trump also announced that Israel will have to "finish the job" and "fight and clean it up" in Gaza. The comments came after the US peace envoy, Steve Witkoff, said the US was pulling its negotiating team from Gaza talks to consult further.
Key Takeaways:
- US President Donald Trump stated that Hamas "didn't want to make a deal" on a ceasefire and the release of hostages in Gaza.
- Trump claimed that Hamas "doesn't have any bargaining chips" and believes the group is eager to die.
- The US president also said that Israel will have to "finish the job" and "fight and clean it up" in Gaza.
- Trump's comments came after the US peace envoy, Steve Witkoff, said the US was pulling its negotiating team from Gaza talks to consult further in Washington.
- Hamas official Bassem Naim accused the US envoy of misrepresenting the situation, saying his statements run counter to the context of the negotiations.
Statistics:
- There are currently "final hostages" in Gaza, according to Trump's statement.
- The US peace envoy, Steve Witkoff, led the negotiating team in Gaza talks.
- The negotiations were ongoing as of October 7, 2023, the date of the initial conflict.
Sources:
- TOI World Desk, US President Donald Trump on Friday said that Hamas "didn't want to make a deal" regarding a ceasefire and the release of hostages in Gaza.
- The Times of Israel, Hamas official Bassem Naim responded to the US envoy's comments, accusing them of misrepresenting the situation.
- TOI World Desk states that US President Donald Trump made these comments before a trip to Scotland.
Note: All dates and times mentioned in the original article have been preserved in the output. Sources have been cited exactly as they appear in the original material.