US President Donald Trump warned Hamas to approve a deal to end the Gaza war and release the hostages – before later suggesting an agreement could come soon.
In a post on Truth Social, he claimed Israel had already accepted his terms and that “it is time for Hamas to accept as well”.
He wrote: “I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting. This is my last warning, there will not be another one.”
Hours later, Mr Trump, speaking to reporters after landing in the Washington area on Sunday evening, said he had been discussing the issue on the plane.
“We're working on a solution that may be very good,” he said. “You'll be hearing about it pretty soon. We're trying to get it ended, get the hostages back.”
He declined to give further details. Mr Trump told reporters he thought all the hostages would be returned: “I think we're going to get them all.”
He noted that some may already have died but the aim would be to have their bodies brought back.
Hamas said on Sunday that it had received new ideas from the US side, through mediators, to reach a deal and was discussing ways to develop those ideas. It also gave no details.
Israeli media on Saturday reported that Mr Trump had put forward a new ceasefire proposal to Hamas.
Under the deal, Hamas would free all the remaining 48 hostages on the first day of a truce in exchange for thousands of Palestinian prisoners jailed in Israel and negotiate an end to the war during a ceasefire, according to Israel's N12 media outlet.
Hamas in its statement on Sunday reiterated its readiness for negotiations to release all hostages in exchange for a “clear announcement of an end to the war” and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces.
Israel's military campaign in Gaza – which followed the October 2023 attack by Hamas-led fighters that killed about 1,200 people and saw 240 hostages captured – has killed more than 63,500 people and injured about 161,000.
This is not the first time Mr Trump has issued a “last warning” over the release of remaining hostages. On March 6, he warned Hamas that it would be “over for you” if hostages, dead and alive, were not handed over.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army on Sunday intensified air strikes on Gaza city, killing at 14 least people, including children, official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.
At least eight people were killed when Israel warplanes bombed Al Farabi school, which shelters displaced people near Al Yarmouk playground in Gaza city, medical sources said.
Two children were killed in a strike in a tent sheltering displaced people in Al Rimal neighbourhood, west of the city, the sources said.
Israel is increasing its operations around Gaza city, the territory's largest urban centre, which the army has said it intends to capture to defeat Hamas and return the hostages.
Israel has indirectly presented Hamas with an outline for a “comprehensive” deal to end the Gaza war that sources have dismissed as another tactic by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to buy time.
The sources said the proposal envisaged the release of all hostages held by Hamas – about 48, of whom 20 are believed to be still alive – and for Hamas to lay down its heavy weapons and have them stored under Egyptian supervision.
The National's Hamza Hendawi contributed to this report
