Trump warns Hamas ‘all hell’ will break loose if deal not signed by Sunday

US president Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Hamas on social media. In a post on his social media site Truth Social he said: “Hamas has been a ruthless and violent threat, for many years, in the Middle East! They have killed (and made lives unbearably miserable), culminating with the October 7th MASSACRE, in Israel, babies, woman, children, old people, and many young men and women, boys and girls, getting ready to celebrate their future lives together.

“As retribution for the October 7th attack on civilization, more than 25,000 Hamas ‘soldiers’ have already been killed. Most of the rest are surrounded and MILITARILY TRAPPED, just waiting for me to give the word, ‘GO,’ for their lives to be quickly extinguished.” He added: “As for the rest, we know where and who you are, and you will be hunted down, and killed.”

The US President said Hamas had until Sunday evening 6pm Washington DC time to agree to the terms of the peace deal or face the consequences.

“If this LAST CHANCE agreement is not reached, all HELL, like no one has ever seen before, will break out against Hamas,” Trump thundered. “THERE WILL BE PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.”

Trump’s 20 point peace plan for Gaza proposes an immediate end to the brutal fighting that has raged for almost two years.

The end of hostilities will be accompanied by the release of all Israeli hostages, both dead and alive, “within 72 hours” of Israel publicly accepting the deal.

For its part, Israel would release 250 Palestinians currently serving life sentences and 1,700 Palestinians in Gaza detained since the horrific October 7, 2023 attacks.

The plan also envisages a future Gaza as “a de-radicalized terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbours”. Notably, Israel will not occupy or annex the territory, nor will anyone be forced to leave Gaza. Hamas will not be permitted any role, “directly or indirectly”, in the future governance of the territory.

While some of the political leadership of Hamas in Qatar are in favour of the plan, the head of its military wing in Gaza is reported to be against it. Izz al-Din al-Haddad is thought to believe the plan was designed to finish off Hamas, whether the group accepts it or not, and so is determined to fight on, sources told the BBC.

Trump reiterated in his post that the major stake holders in the Middle East all supported his plan and that it roperesnted a unique opportunity for peace after “over 3,000 years of conflict”.

“We will have PEACE in the Middle East one way or the other,” he wrote. “The violence and bloodshed will stop. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES, ALL OF THEM, INCLUDING THE BODIES OF THOSE THAT ARE DEAD, NOW!”