Trump Issues Ultimatum to Hamas, Demanding 6pm Deadline for 20-Point Plan
US President Donald Trump has issued a stern ultimatum to Hamas, giving the terror group a definitive deadline of 6pm EST, Sunday, to agree to his 20-point plan or face "total devastation". Trump has also urged Palestinians in Gaza to immediately move to safer parts of the war-torn enclave, warning that remaining fighters are "MILITARILY TRAPPED" and will be hunted down and killed if an agreement is not reached. The plan includes the release of all hostages, an immediate ceasefire, and a phased Israeli withdrawal, as well as Hamas' total disarmament.
Key Takeaways:
- Trump has given Hamas a 6pm EST, Sunday, deadline to agree to his 20-point plan or face "total devastation".
- The plan includes the release of all hostages, an immediate ceasefire, and a phased Israeli withdrawal.
- Trump has urged Palestinians in Gaza to move to safer parts of the enclave.
- Remaining Hamas fighters are "MILITARILY TRAPPED" and will be hunted down and killed if an agreement is not reached.
- Trump has offered "amnesty" to Hamas members who renounce violence and choose to leave Gaza.
- The plan "spares the lives of all remaining Hamas fighters", a point likely to be rejected by hardliners in Gaza and critics in the Arab world.
- US and Israeli officials expect a cautious, qualified reply from Hamas, while mediators in Doha and Cairo have been pressing the group to engage.
- Egyptian and Qatari officials have expressed frustration at last-minute changes made to the plan, which they claim were made for Jerusalem's appeasement.
Statistics:
- 6pm EST, Sunday: the deadline given to Hamas to agree to Trump's 20-point plan.
- 72 hours: the timeframe cited by Trump for the release of all hostages.
- 20-point: the number of points in Trump's plan.
- Total devastation: the fate that awaits Hamas if an agreement is not reached.
- 3 hours: the time remaining for Hamas to respond to Trump's ultimatum.
Sources:
- (No specific source mentioned in the original text)