Donald Trump admits: "My Hamas deadline was just a strategic move for hostage negotiations"

President Trump backed away from his dramatic ultimatum to Hamas on Sunday, revealing that his deadline for hostage release was part of a broader strategy to pressure the terror group back to negotiations, while maintaining close coordination with Israeli leadership.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump addressed for the first time why his self-imposed Saturday deadline — which he had characterized as opening "the gates of hell" if not met — passed without consequence. "My threat alone caused Hamas to reconsider what they said about stopping the deal," Trump said, suggesting the ultimatum itself had served its intended purpose.

The president's comments came as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, following intense American diplomatic pressure, authorized Israeli negotiators to travel to Cairo for talks about implementing the first phase of a hostage deal. This marked a significant shift from Netanyahu's position just 24 hours earlier, when he had firmly rejected similar proposals during a security consultation with senior defense officials.

"I told Bibi to do what he wants," Trump said, using Netanyahu's nickname, while emphasizing that his core demand remained unchanged: "All hostages must return now."

The developments highlight the complex dynamics between Washington and Jerusalem, with U.S. influence proving decisive in moving negotiations forward. Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy to the Middle East, played a crucial role in securing Netanyahu's agreement to send negotiators to Cairo, according to the Prime Minister's office.

Sources familiar with the discussions revealed that Secretary of State had explicitly told Netanyahu that "not negotiating is not an option," underscoring the growing American pressure on Israel to pursue diplomatic solutions.

The Israeli delegation will receive its mandate following a cabinet meeting scheduled for Monday, with discussions expected to focus on both implementing the current agreement's first phase and exploring parameters for a second stage of hostage releases.

In a parallel development, Israeli sources told Kan News that preliminary contacts are underway to potentially hold a summit in Qatar focused on the second phase of the hostage deal, though its occurrence depends heavily on the mandate Israeli negotiators receive from Monday's cabinet meeting.

Trump, while maintaining his support for Israeli autonomy in the negotiations, pointedly noted that future decisions would be made "in consultation with me," suggesting continued deep U.S. involvement in the process.

Netanyahu's reversal on sending negotiators to Cairo — coming after his adamant refusal during Saturday night's security consultation — illustrates the significant impact of American diplomatic pressure on Israeli decision-making at this critical juncture in the conflict.

Kikar HaShabbat contributed to this article.