Trump calls on Hamas to ‘surrender,’ Witkoff visits Gaza as US and Israel reportedly take new tack
The shift comes as leaders around the world are adopting new efforts to jolt a stalemate in the Gaza war
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met in his office with U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff. Photo by Kobi Gideon/GPO
(JTA) — President Donald Trump called for Hamas to “surrender” in a post on Truth Social Thursday morning, a day before his Middle East envoy visited Gaza and praised humanitarian efforts there.
“The fastest way to end the Humanitarian Crises in Gaza is for Hamas to SURRENDER AND RELEASE THE HOSTAGES!!!,” wrote Trump in the post.
The president’s post came days after he lamented “real starvation” in Gaza and as a new report, in The Atlantic, suggested that he was growing increasingly frustrated with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s unwillingness to end the war in Gaza.
But it also came as Trump has ratcheted up his tone on Hamas. Last week, after withdrawing his negotiators, he accused the group of not wanting a ceasefire deal and said that he believed “they want to die.” Now, Hamas has reportedly stopped engaging in any discussions regarding a potential ceasefire and hostage release, with one senior Hamas official, Mahmoud Mardawi, saying there is “no meaning to any negotiations as long as the policy of starvation and extermination against our people continues.”
On Friday, Steve Witkoff joined U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee and Israeli officials in a visit to Gaza, where he praised a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s food distribution site as “incredible.” The joint U.S.-Israeli aid effort has drawn sharp criticism for failing to meet need and being dangerous for Gazans to access.
Witkoff also met with Netanyahu on Thursday, in his first public visit to Israel in six months.
The shifting tides reflect a new approach undertaken by U.S. and Israeli officials, a senior Israeli official told reports on Thursday. Instead of pressing for a partial deal that would include a ceasefire and the release of some of the hostages Hamas is holding, the parties are now only interested in endgames that remove Hamas from power and bring all of the hostages home.
The shift comes as leaders around the world are adopting new efforts to jolt the stalemate in the conflict. The countries of the Arab League joined the European Union in calling for Hamas to disarm, while three major world powers — France, the United Kingdom and Canada — all announced their intentions to recognize a Palestinian state that does not include Hamas in a leadership role.
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