WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has given Hamas until 6 p.m. Eastern Time on Sunday to accept his peace proposal for Gaza, warning that failure to comply would trigger what he described as “all hell, like no one has ever seen before.”
The plan, outlined by Trump in recent days and endorsed by Israel and several Arab states, would require Hamas to disarm, withdraw from governance in Gaza, and release all hostages. In return, Israel would withdraw its forces and agree to a ceasefire. Amnesty would be offered to Hamas members who lay down their weapons, while those wishing to leave Gaza would be granted safe passage to other countries.
Trump framed the ultimatum as a decisive chance to end nearly two years of conflict. “There will be peace in the Middle East one way or the other,” he wrote on Truth Social, adding that Hamas fighters “will be hunted down and killed” if the group rejects the proposal. He urged civilians in Gaza to relocate to safer areas ahead of possible escalation.
A senior Hamas official told the BBC the group was unlikely to accept, rejecting the disarmament requirement and arguing the deal primarily serves Israeli interests. The official reiterated Hamas’s refusal to accept the deployment of an international stabilization force, another key element of the U.S. plan.
The ultimatum comes against the backdrop of Israel’s military campaign following the October 7, 2023 attacks, which killed nearly 1,200 people in Israel, mostly civilians. The war has devastated Gaza, leaving thousands dead and millions displaced. Entire neighborhoods have been destroyed, while a recent U.N. commission concluded that Israel’s actions amounted to genocide — a charge Israel strongly denies.
Trump’s proposal includes the release of all Israeli hostages, both living and deceased, within 72 hours of Israel’s formal acceptance of the deal. In exchange, Israel would release 250 Palestinians serving life sentences and 1,700 detainees from Gaza. For every deceased Israeli returned, 15 Palestinian remains would be repatriated. These exchanges would take place under a temporary suspension of Israeli military operations.
Trump has positioned the initiative as a test of Hamas’s willingness to embrace peace. “Fortunately for Hamas, they will be given one last chance,” he wrote.
Whether the group accepts or rejects the plan by Sunday’s deadline will determine whether the Trump administration can claim a breakthrough in one of the world’s most intractable conflicts — or whether the war in Gaza enters a new and potentially even more destructive phase.
