US President Donald Trump issued a forceful statement regarding the hostages being held in Gaza, asserting that the release of remaining captives held by Hamas will only occur once the terror organization is decisively defeated.
"We will only see the return of the remaining hostages when Hamas is confronted and destroyed!!!" President Trump declared in a post shared on social media. "The sooner this takes place, the better the chances of success will be."
He reminded the public of his previous efforts in securing the release of hostages, both in Israel and the US: "Remember, I was the one who negotiated and got hundreds of hostages freed and released into Israel (and America!)."
Highlighting his record in foreign policy, Trump added, "I was the one who ended 6 wars, in just 6 months. I was the one who obliterated Iran’s Nuclear facilities."
He concluded the statement with a call to action: "Play to win, or don’t play at all!"
Trump's post comes only a few hours after it was reported that Hamas received a new ceasefire proposal for Gaza and is expected to respond in the coming hours.
According to Al-Hadath, the proposal includes the release of ten living Israeli hostages and 18 bodies, the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip via international organizations, including the Red Crescent and the United Nations, and a 60-day ceasefire. Reports indicate that negotiations to end the hostilities would begin with the start of the ceasefire.
Asharq News reported that sources close to Hamas indicated the organization might agree to the proposal. However, Arab media outlets did not provide details regarding any potential IDF withdrawal as part of the agreement.