WASHINGTON − President Donald Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, declared on Friday that Hamas was making unreasonable demands instead of agreeing to extend a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict and release hostage Edan Alexander promptly. “President Trump has clearly stated that Hamas must either release hostages immediately or face severe consequences,” Witkoff stated. Trump issued a “final warning” on March 6, giving an ultimatum to the Islamist militant group responsible for the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. He emphasized that Hamas must release all remaining hostages or face dire consequences.
The U.S. proposed that Hamas extend the ceasefire and release all surviving hostages. Witkoff and Eric Trager, the National Security Council’s senior director for the Middle East, put forward a “bridge” proposal in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday to extend the ceasefire past Ramadan and Passover in order to negotiate a lasting peace agreement. The proposal called for Hamas to release living hostages in exchange for prisoners according to previous agreements. The ceasefire extension would allow for vital humanitarian aid to resume, Witkoff explained.
Through intermediaries from Qatar and Egypt, Hamas was informed unequivocally that the “bridge” proposal needed to be implemented promptly, with Edan Alexander, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, to be released without delay, according to Witkoff. “Regrettably, Hamas has chosen to respond by publicly indicating flexibility while privately making demands that are completely impractical without a permanent ceasefire,” Witkoff lamented. “Hamas is taking a risky gamble by thinking time is on their side. It is not. Hamas is fully aware of the deadline and should understand that appropriate actions will be taken if the deadline is not met.”
Steve Witkoff, a prominent businessman and developer, delivered these remarks during the final day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum. The convention’s concluding day featured a keynote address by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
(Source: USA TODAY)
