"They want to play tough guy," Trump buckles down against Hamas' response to hostage threat

In response, President Trump issued an ultimatum to Hamas, demanding the release of all hostages by Saturday at noon. "If all of the hostages aren’t returned by Saturday at 12 o’clock – I think it’s an appropriate time – I would say, cancel it and all bets are off and let hell break out," Trump declared in the Oval Office. "If they’re not returned – all of them, not in drips and drabs, not two and one and three and four and two… all hell is going to break out." When asked what "all hell" meant, Trump kept his answer vague, stating, "You’ll find out, and they’ll find out — Hamas will find out what I mean."

Hamas swiftly rejected Trump’s threat. In a meeting today with King Abdullah II of Jordan, Trump reinforced his demand for Hamas to release the hostages from Gaza, saying, "I have a Saturday deadline. I don't think they are going to make the deadline personally. They want to play tough guy but we will see how tough they are."

Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters, "Trump must remember that there is an agreement that must be respected by both parties, and this is the only way to bring back the [hostages]. The language of threats has no value and only complicates matters."

Trump’s firm stance found strong support among Israel’s right-wing leadership, where frustration over the prolonged hostage situation has been mounting. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich posted on X, "Everybody, now," while former Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir added, "Trump is correct. Return to destroying now."

While Trump’s approach aligns with some in Israel, his broader proposal to establish U.S. control over Gaza and relocate its population has not gained significant support from neighboring Arab states. With 36 out of the remaining 76 hostages confirmed dead, the clock is ticking for the resolution of this crisis, with the Saturday deadline looming large.