Trump issues final warning to Hamas: 'Release the hostages or it's over for you'

President Donald Trump used his Truth Social platform Wednesday to send a strong message to Hamas, demanding the immediate release of all hostages and the delivery of the bodies of the victims. His statement came after meeting in Washington, D.C., with seven former hostages who were held by the terrorist group.

Warning to Hamas and message to Gaza

In his release, Trump criticized the withholding of bodies and warned that no Hamas member would be safe if it did not comply with his demand. He also assured that he was providing Israel with the necessary resources to complete its mission.

"'Shalom Hamas' means Hello and Goodbye - You can choose. 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," the president wrote, stressing that this is the last warning to the terrorist group.

He also addressed a message to the people of Gaza, noting that the future of the region depended on the release of the captives.

"To the people of Gaza: a beautiful future awaits, but not if you hold hostages. If you do, you are dead! Make a smart decision - release the hostages now, or there will be hell!" he stated.

Meeting with former hostages

Trump's statement came after meeting in Washington, D.C., with several former hostages who were captured by Hamas and subsequently released. They included Eli Sharabi, Doron Steinbrecher, Keith Siegel, Aviva Siegel, Naama Levy, Omer Shem Tov and Iair Horn, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum reported.

Negotiations with Hamas

The message also coincided with a press conference in which a journalist questioned the White House about its decision to engage in dialogue with Hamas, despite the U.S. policy of not negotiating with terrorists.

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, responded that the U.S. special envoy had the authority to conduct talks and that Israel had been consulted about this process. She also stressed that the priority was protecting the lives of U.S. citizens.

"These are ongoing talks and discussions. I'm not going to detail them here," she added. "There are American lives at stake."