President Donald J. Trump issued a stark ultimatum to Hamas، warning that if the group does not sign a proposed deal by 6:00 p.m. Washington time on Sunday, it will face “devastating” military action unlike anything seen before. In a strongly worded statement, Trump described Hamas as a long-standing, violent threat in the Middle East and framed the demand for a signed agreement as a final opportunity to avert a major offensive.
Trump tied the warning to the October 7 attacks in Israel, which he characterized as an assault on civilization and said claimed the lives of civilians — children, women, the elderly and young people celebrating future milestones. He asserted that Israeli retaliatory operations have already killed “more than 25,000” Hamas fighters, a figure presented as part of his address. The President said remaining Hamas fighters are largely surrounded and “militarily trapped,” and that they are awaiting a command he could give to finish them off.
Addressing civilians in Gaza, Trump urged all innocent Palestinians to leave areas that could become the sites of large-scale violence and to move to what he called “safe parts of Gaza.” He said arrangements are in place to care for the displaced, and that humanitarian personnel stand ready to assist. The statement repeatedly emphasized that the announced timetable represents a last chance for Hamas to secure clemency under the proposed terms.
Trump also said a broad regional agreement has been finalized among the United States, Israel and several wealthy Middle Eastern nations, describing it as an historic pact that could deliver peace to the region after thousands of years. He said the deal — which he characterized as already signed by every participating country — would pardon the lives of remaining Hamas fighters if they agreed to its terms.
The President demanded the immediate release of all hostages, including the return of bodies of those killed, and set the Sunday evening deadline for Hamas to accept the agreement. He warned that failure to comply would trigger an unprecedented and catastrophic military response against the group.
The announcement is likely to heighten tensions across the region and raise urgent questions about the humanitarian consequences for civilians in Gaza. Humanitarian organizations and legal experts routinely caution that military operations in densely populated areas carry a high risk of civilian casualties and displacement, and that international law requires protections for non-combatants and humane treatment of detainees and the dead.
Trump’s statement combines a heavy-handed military threat with a diplomatic offer framed as the final pathway to peace. If implemented, observers say the terms of any such deal, its enforcement mechanisms, and guarantees for civilians and hostages will be subject to intense scrutiny by governments, international bodies and aid agencies.
The coming hours — including the 6:00 p.m. Washington deadline — are likely to be decisive for the immediate trajectory of the conflict. International reactions and any verification of the claims made in the President’s statement, including the casualty figures and the status of the purported regional agreement, will be closely watched as events unfold.
Also Read: Two opinions within Hamas on Trump’s Gaza plan: Sources