Pressure from Donald Trump ‘led to Hamas concessions on ceasefire’

Donald Trump’s threats of ‘all hell to pay’ if hostages aren’t released by the time he takes office pushed Hamas to agree to Israeli forces in Gaza and to release a list of hostages to be freed, the Biden administration admits.

Donald Trump's pressure forced Hamas to make key concessions for a ceasefire. Picture; Supplied.

Pressure from Donald Trump pushed Hamas to agree to major concessions to expedite a ceasefire, as hopes grow for a truce between Israel and the militant group.

The President-elect has threatened that if a deal was not struck to release the Israeli hostages before he returns to office on January 20, there will be “all hell to pay.”

Writing on his social media site Truth Social recently, Mr Trump said: “If the hostages are not released prior to January 20, 2025, the date that I proudly assume Office as President of the United States, there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against Humanity.”

He added: “Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storeyed History of the United States of America. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW!”

Mr Trump didn’t make clear whether he would directly involve the US military in the conflict in Gaza. But White House officials told NBC the threat led to Hamas agreeing to Israeli forces staying in the Gaza Strip temporarily after fighting ends and to provide a list of hostages who would be released.

Diplomatic sources also told AFP Mr Trump’s declaration had an impact on the latest round of ceasefire talks.

One diplomatic source said Hamas, isolated after the weakening of its Lebanese ally Hezbollah and the overthrow of Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad, is keen to reach a deal before the end of the year.

“A lot of people see (a deal) as the perfect Christmas gift,” the source said. Another noted that since Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar’s death, Hamas leaders abroad, known as more pragmatic than the mastermind of the October 7, 2023 attack that sparked the war, have been conducting negotiations.

A high-ranking Hamas official said the talks were at the “final details” stage and that Qatar and Egypt would announce the agreement once negotiations end.

Israeli government spokesman David Mencer declined to comment on the proposed deal at a media briefing on Wednesday, stating “the less said the better”.

But high level Israeli sources knocked down reports a ceasefire could be expected within days, with the country’s Channel 12 TV reporting the government is waiting for negotiators to return from Qatar before any decision is made.

Channel 12 also reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will hold a high-level meeting on the matter on Friday (AEDT) with top security officials, Defence Minister Israel Katz and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer.

On Wednesday (AEDT), Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia would provide financial and other assistance to Gaza after a ceasefire.

“We are deeply concerned, as are many countries, about the catastrophic humanitarian situation and so of course, we are willing to step up to provide assistance,” said Ms Wong. “A ceasefire would also enable the return of the hostages who are still being held by Hamas a year after the horrific attacks’’.

During their attack on Israel on October 7 last year, Hamas seized 251 hostages.

Ninety-six of them are still held in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.

Hamas officials told AFP the current framework for a deal would see the implementation of a ceasefire and the gradual release of hostages over three phases.

In the first, six-week phase, Israeli civilian hostages and female soldiers would be released in exchange for “hundreds of Palestinian prisoners”.

During this phase, Israel would withdraw its forces “from west of the Rafah crossing” on the Philadelphi Corridor, a strip of land cleared and controlled by Israel along Gaza’s border with Egypt.

Israeli forces would also “partly withdraw” from the Netzarim Corridor, another, wider strip of land cleared and controlled by Israel that splits the territory in two just south of Gaza City, and gradually leave Palestinian refugee camps.

Lastly, the first phase would see the gradual return of displaced residents to Gaza City and the north via the coastal highway under Israeli army monitoring.

The second phase would see the release of Israeli male soldiers in exchange for “a number” of Palestinian prisoners, “including at least 100 with long-term sentences”.

During this phase, Israel would complete its military withdrawal but would maintain forces on the eastern and northern border areas with Israel.

Negotiations between Hamas and Israel have faced multiple challenges, with the primary point of contention being the establishment of a lasting ceasefire.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also repeatedly stated that he does not want to withdraw Israeli troops from the Philadelphi Corridor.

Another unresolved issue is the governance of post-war Gaza. It remains a highly contentious issue, including within the Palestinian leadership.

Israel has said repeatedly that it will not allow Hamas to run the territory ever again.

With AFP