U.S. President Donald Trump has sharply warned that Hamas will face “complete obliteration” if it refuses to relinquish power in Gaza and continues to insist on governing the enclave. In an interview with CNN, he tied the group’s survival to its willingness to accept a 20-point peace proposal and surrender control, suggesting that if Hamas resists those conditions, the consequences will be total.
Trump’s remarks come amid escalating diplomacy toward Gaza, where he has given Hamas a deadline by which it must accept the U.S.-backed agreement or face “unprecedented consequences.” He also asserted that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu supports a halt in bombardment of Gaza contingent on Hamas’s response. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio cautioned that although the release of hostages is a first step, the war is far from over and whether Hamas is serious will become clear in forthcoming technical talks.
Hamas, for its part, has expressed partial willingness to hand over administration of Gaza to technocrats and release remaining hostages, but has stopped short of agreeing to full disarmament or ceding power entirely. The group is now weighing whether to accept the U.S. framework or challenge the terms, raising the stakes in an already volatile conflict.
As all sides await Hamas’s decision, diplomats and mediators are converging in Cairo —tasked with ironing out implementation logistics of a ceasefire, alternate governance, and hostage release. The coming hours could determine whether this pressure yields a breakthrough — or triggers renewed escalation.
