On March 5th, President Donald Trump issued a stern ultimatum to the Palestinian militant group Hamas, demanding the immediate release of all Israeli and American hostages, with a threat of “death” if they fail to comply. In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, President Trump wrote, “‘Shalom Hamas’ means hello and goodbye. You can choose.” He continued, urging Hamas to “release all the hostages now, not later,” and to return the bodies of those killed, warning, “Or you too will be finished.”
Trump emphasized the cruelty of holding onto the bodies of the deceased, stating, “Only a sick and twisted person would keep a body. You are sick and twisted.” He further threatened, “If you don’t do as I say, I will send Israel everything it needs to complete the mission, and not a single Hamas member will be safe.” The president claimed to have met with the hostages previously held by Hamas, and he warned the Hamas leadership, “This is your final warning. Now is the time to leave Gaza. You still have a chance.” He also warned Gaza’s residents, stating, “There is a beautiful future ahead of you. But if you hold the hostages, it won’t be that way. If you hold the hostages, you will die.”
Trump urged Hamas to “make a wise decision” and release the hostages immediately, warning, “If you don’t, you will pay a big price later.”
This ultimatum came shortly after confirmation that the U.S. government had been in secret discussions with Hamas regarding the release of the hostages. White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt confirmed that “conversations and discussions are currently underway,” though she refrained from providing further details, emphasizing that the lives of detained Americans are at stake.