US President Donald Trump Issues Weekend Deadline for the Militant Group to Accept Gaza Ceasefire Proposal

The US leader Trump has issued a time limit to Hamas, demanding them to agree to a American settlement for the Gaza region or else risk intense repercussions.

Through a post on his Truth Social account on Friday, Trump announced that an agreement must be achieved by 18:00 Washington time (10 PM GMT) on Sunday.

The outlined proposal includes an swift halt to hostilities and the return within a short period of 20 living Israel captives held by the group—as well as the remains of individuals presumed to be dead—in return for many of detained Gazans.

International negotiators are understood to be pressing Hamas for a favorable response to the proposal, but a senior Hamas official has indicated that the militant group is expected to refuse it.

"Should this LAST CHANCE deal is not achieved, extreme consequences, as nobody has previously seen, will occur against the group. WE WILL ACHIEVE CALM IN THE REGION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER," the President stated in the Truth Social update.

Intermediaries have been in touch with the chief of the group's combat unit in the territory, who has indicated that he is opposed to the latest US halt initiative, according to information.

It is thought that certain members of the group's leadership in Qatar are willing to endorsing the agreement with changes—yet have found their authority restricted as they do not have control over the hostages detained by the organization.

A further stumbling block for a number of in Hamas is that the plan requires them to release each and every the hostages over the opening short window of the ceasefire—relinquishing their primary bargaining chip.

It is estimated to be 48 captives currently being kept in the Gazan region by the armed group, only 20 of whom are estimated to be surviving.

Israel's defense forces began a offensive in the Gaza Strip in reaction to the Hamas-led assault on Israeli territory on October 7, 2023, in which about over a thousand people were lost their lives and hundreds others were captured.

A minimum of 66,288 individuals have been killed in Israel's attacks in the territory following the start, based on data from the region's Hamas-run health ministry.