US President Donald Trump has threatened Hamas with severe consequences if hostages held in Gaza are not released immediately, in a social media post on Wednesday. Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump said: “Release all hostages now, not later. Return all the bodies of those you have killed immediately, or it will be the end of you.” He went on to accuse Hamas of being “sick and perverted” for withholding the remains of the dead, adding, “Only sick and perverted people keep bodies, and you are sick and perverted”.
Pledging support for Israel’s genocide
Trump assured Israel of full military support, promising to provide “everything” it needs to continue its attacks on Gaza. “If you don’t do what I say, not a single one of your people will be safe,” he warned. He also urged Hamas leaders to leave Gaza as a “last chance”, telling the enclave’s two million residents: “A bright future awaits you, but if the hostages are not released, you will die.” Trump’s comments followed the Arab League’s rejection of US proposals on Gaza’s future on Tuesday. In February, Trump said during a White House meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the US would take “permanent control” of Gaza and lead its reconstruction. Trump’s plan for “the Riviera of the Middle East” is based on the forcible displacement of 1.8 million Palestinian people to neighbouring Jordan and Egypt. He further clarified that the ‘relocation’ would be permanent, with no right of return.
Meanwhile, at an Arab League summit in Cairo, leaders approved Egypt’s $53 billion reconstruction plan for Gaza. Hamas welcomed the League’s plan, but Israel rejected it. The US administration acknowledged the Arab consensus but reiterated that Hamas “cannot remain in power” in Gaza. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi expressed his satisfaction with the regional agreement, saying it would ensure that Palestinians remain in Gaza without being forcibly displaced. In a social media post following the summit, he called for international support, saying, “We are open to all ideas and suggestions to make this plan a success. It must be implemented alongside a major peace initiative.”
Middle East Eye reported that some Arab leaders breathed a sigh of relief that Trump had not mentioned his Gaza ‘Riviera’ plan in his recent rhetoric concerning the future of Gaza. Merissa Khurma, director of the Middle East programme at the Wilson Center, told Middle East Eye:
“From the perspective of the US’s Arab leaders, Trump leaving Gaza out of his speech is certainly a win. It reduces the pressure they were under to respond to forced displacement.”
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Rebuilding Gaza
The reconstruction plan, endorsed by the Arab League countries, aims to rebuild Gaza by 2030 and ensure that its population of two million remains in place. The first phase involves clearing unexploded ordnance and removing more than 50 million tonnes of rubble left by Israeli bombardments. Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said the summit’s final declaration called for the deployment of an international peacekeeping force in Gaza and the West Bank under a UN Security Council mandate. According to the statement, Egypt will co-host an international conference with the UN to establish a reconstruction fund overseen by the World Bank. The long-term vision includes transforming Gaza into a “sustainable, green and pedestrian-friendly” region, with industrial zones, renewable energy projects and the construction of a port and airport.
Situation of hostages
Hamas took 251 people hostage on 7 October. So far, 127 hostages have been released under two ceasefire agreements. Israel has recovered the bodies of 40 hostages and eight have been rescued alive in military operations. As of 7 February, 76 hostages were still believed to be in Gaza, either alive or dead. Hamas claimed that 34 of them had been killed in Israeli air strikes. The remaining hostages include a mother and her two children, 13 Israeli soldiers and five foreigners from Thailand, Nepal and Tanzania. Hamas is believed to be holding the bodies of a soldier killed in 2014 and two Israeli civilians who entered Gaza in 2014-2015 and are believed to be alive.
3% of Palestinians in Gaza have already perished in Israel’s genocide
As of March 6, 2025, the Israel’s ongoing attacks have resulted in significant casualties among Palestinians. Since the escalation began on October 7, 2023, reports indicate that:
Gaza Strip: The Palestinian Ministry of Health reported that at least 45,000 Palestinians have been killed, with a the majority being women and children. However, a recent study by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) found that in fact at least 64,260 people had been killed by January 2025. LSHTM warned that this number was in itself a gross underestimate.
West Bank: At least 887 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since October 7, 2023.
