Cancel ceasefire if Hamas don’t return hostages, Trump says

US President Donald Trump said Monday that a precarious ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas should be cancelled if Hamas doesn’t release all the remaining hostages it is holding in Gaza by midday on Saturday — though he also acknowledged that such a decision would be up to Israel.

In comments to reporters after signing a series of executive orders, Trump said, “If they’re not here, all hell is going to break out” and said he feared many scheduled for release are actually already dead.

Trump also said, however, “I’m speaking for myself. Israel can override it.”

Hamas accused Israel of not holding up its end of the deal by not allowing Palestinians to return to northern Gaza, carrying out strikes across the territory and failing to facilitate the entry of aid.

In a statement, the militant group said the delay served as a “warning signal” to Israel and noted that mediators – the United States, Qatar, and Egypt – had five days to pressure Israel to act.

“The door remains open for the exchange to proceed as planned if Israel abides by its obligations,” they added.

Trump’s comments risked jeopardizing the already tenuous ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza after 15 months of war, with the existing framework for negotiations calling for the massive humanitarian and reconstruction assistance for civilians in Gaza.

Those comments came after Trump said in an interview with Fox News Channel that Palestinians in Gaza would not have a right to return under his plan for US “ownership” of the war-torn territory — contradicting other officials in his administration who have sought to argue Trump was only calling for the temporary relocation of its population.

They also came as Trump has ramped up pressure on Arab states, especially US allies Jordan and Egypt, to take in Palestinians from Gaza, who claim the territory as part of a future homeland.

Asked if he would consider withholding aid from Jordan and Egypt if they don’t agree to take in Palestinians, Trump responded: “Yeah, maybe. Sure. Why not?”

“If they don’t agree, I would. I would conceivably withhold aid, yeah,” Trump said.

This article has been updated with the latest reactions from Hamas.