Or Else

US President Donald Trump met with released Israeli hostages in the Oval Office and had strong words for Hamas, again as we read in a report from CBN.com:

The White House has confirmed it is holding direct negotiations with Hamas to secure the release of American hostages. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump is increasing pressure on Hamas and the people of Gaza, warning that if hostages are not released, there will be dire consequences.

This isn’t the first time Trump has challenged Hamas to release the hostages all at once:

Trump posted on Truth Social, "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. Only sick and twisted people keep bodies, and you are sick and twisted! I am sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job, not a single Hamas member will be safe if you don’t do as I say. I have just met with your former Hostages whose lives you have destroyed. This is your last warning!"

These statements happened at the same time that secret talks were held directly between the US and Hamas:

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said there had been secret direct negotiations with Hamas over the American hostages. Officials defended the talks as part of a broader effort to protect Americans.

"And look, dialogue and talking to people around the world to do what's in the best interest of the American people is something that the president has proven is what he believes is – is good faith effort to do what's right for the American people," Leavitt stated.

I have to tell you that a post on X sounds good, but Hamas doesn’t respond to threats without actions behind them and they never will. And the more that Trump tosses out these ultimatums without subsequent actions they ring more and more hollow. I support Trump and all he’s doing for Israel, but at some point Hamas needs to see he really means business. He is giving Israel all they need and he says that the decision to act is up to Netanyahu, which is all good and well, but that phone between Israel and the White House goes both ways so I would call them and tell them to back up his threats with actions. Otherwise Hamas will do what they’ve done all along and see it as so much useless noise. I know some people may not like that, but these hostages don’t have time to live. Send in special forces and get them out. That would send a huge message to Hamas.

Eyes On Hamas

Hamas was quick to respond to the post on X and what they said isn’t unexpected as we see in an article from The Media Line:

Hamas condemned US President Donald Trump’s latest threats on Thursday, saying they undermine the Gaza ceasefire agreement and encourage Israel to avoid its commitments.

The terrorists point to the current deal which they say the US brokered and that Israel is breaking:

“There is an agreement that was signed, and Washington was the mediator in it,” Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said in a statement, claiming that Israel has failed to uphold the second phase of the deal. He called on the US to pressure Israel into negotiations.

Hamas actually violated the agreement over and over again and only accuses others of breaking it when it suits them. While they make public statements, they have been talking directly with the US as we learned yesterday:

The White House confirmed ongoing US-Hamas negotiations regarding hostages in Gaza, with recent talks held in Qatar. The ceasefire, brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and the US, began in January and has resulted in hostage and prisoner releases.

We now see in a report from i24news.tv that a new proposal is offered that would get hostages back:

A Palestinian source told Sky News Arabia on Thursday that the Trump administration proposed to Hamas to release 10 living hostages in exchange for extending the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip by two months, reopening the crossings, and resuming the entry of humanitarian aid.

The source said Hamas is still studying its response to the American proposal.

If true, this is the first offer that gets hostages back without releasing dangerous prisoners. Because of that I highly doubt Hamas will agree to it. Yes, they get 60 more days without fighting and the ability to move around more of Gaza, but they always want more and will thumb their noses at this offer. To be fair, I would be surprised if they took the deal. Overall, and I’ve said this before, Hamas will never release all the hostages because when they do they have no leverage. Brute force is the only thing they respond to and that is exactly what needs to happen.

Houthis In The Crosshairs

And lest we forget about the terrorists in Yemen, as I reported before, the Houthis need to realize that there is a new sheriff in town with Trump as we see in a report from The Jerusalem Post:

After a long period without missile or drone attacks from the Houthis in Yemen, Israel is preparing for their resumption.

“The assessment is that the Houthis will resume fire when Israel renews the fighting in Gaza,” a person familiar with the matter told The Jerusalem Post Thursday.

It’s been some time since Israel attacked the Houthis:

Israel has so far attacked the Houthis in Yemen five times during the Israel-Hamas War. The last attack was on January 10.

During these strikes, Israel targeted civilian infrastructure with military use, such as airports, seaports, and power stations, as well as military targets.

The reason is the current ceasefire, if it ends Israel and the US will hit harder if provoked:

The Houthis stopped their attacks when the hostage-ceasefire deal was announced several weeks ago.

Israel is coordinating with the Trump administration on the issue, and discussions are ongoing regarding the possibility of renewed fire, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The Trump administration intends to adopt a “tougher stance” than the Biden administration did regarding the Houthis, the source said.

There are so many moving pieces now that praying is complex, but very much needed.