Trump Warns Hamas of ‘Complete Obliteration’ If It Refuses to Surrender Gaza
President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Hamas this weekend, declaring that the terror group will face “complete obliteration” if it refuses to give up control of Gaza and fails to comply with the terms of his administration’s U.S.-backed peace plan.
Speaking to CNN’s Jake Tapper via text and later reinforcing the message on Truth Social, Trump made clear that Hamas has a narrow window to comply — and that failure to act swiftly could result in devastating consequences. “TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE OR, MASSIVE BLOODSHED WILL FOLLOW — SOMETHING THAT NOBODY WANTS TO SEE!” Trump wrote on Sunday afternoon.
The president’s warning comes as indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas continue, centered on Trump’s 20-point peace proposal — a plan Trump unveiled last week alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The plan has already garnered the support of key Arab powers, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Qatar.
According to Trump, the first and non-negotiable step is the immediate release of the remaining 48 hostages held by Hamas. Only 28 of them are believed to still be alive. In return, Israel would pull its forces back to the so-called “yellow line,” reflecting the frontlines as of August 2024, and release nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, including 250 serving life sentences.
“Hamas must act — and it must act now,” Trump said, adding that he believes hostage releases could begin “very soon.” While Hamas has signaled a general willingness to consider the framework, it has yet to take any concrete action. Trump emphasized that the ball is now in their court.
“This is a great deal for Israel. It’s a great deal for the entire Arab world, Muslim world, and world,” Trump told reporters. “We’re very happy about it, but Hamas needs to prove they’re serious.”
When Tapper pressed the president on Sen. Lindsey Graham’s assessment that Hamas had already rejected the deal — citing their refusal to disarm or relinquish Gaza — Trump remained cautious but confident. “We will find out. Only time will tell!!!” he replied.
Netanyahu, for his part, reportedly told Trump he remains skeptical of Hamas’s intentions, noting that past agreements with the terror group have often unraveled. Still, Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared on ABC News and insisted this is the closest the world has come to a full hostage release and a lasting framework for peace.
“If it’s clear that the hostages aren’t going to be released and they’re playing games,” Rubio said, “then I think the president stated what our position is going to be.”
That position is clear: comply or be destroyed.
The Trump plan also lays out a roadmap for postwar governance in Gaza — one that excludes Hamas entirely. Under the second phase of the deal, Gaza would be administered by a civilian-led, internationally supported governing body composed of Palestinian technocrats with no ties to terror. Trump officials say this is the only path toward long-term stability.
But Hamas continues to insist that any agreement must include the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state — a demand that is not included in the Trump plan and has been flatly rejected by Israel. Still, Trump and Rubio believe that the threat of overwhelming force, combined with broad regional support, may pressure Hamas into compliance.
As the war in Gaza approaches its second year, and as the number of hostage families still waiting for closure remains high, Trump is making one thing unmistakably clear: peace is possible, but only if Hamas gets out of the way.
“Hamas will either surrender its weapons and its grip on Gaza,” a senior White House official said Sunday, “or Gaza will be flattened. That’s not a threat. That’s a certainty.”