Donald Trump is trying to force the issue in Gaza.

The former president — now back in the White House and staking his political legacy on Middle East diplomacy — issued a stark ultimatum Friday: Hamas has until 6 p.m. Eastern Time on Sunday to accept his Gaza peace framework or face what he described as “all HELL, like no one has ever seen before.”

The message, blasted out on Truth Social in trademark Trump style, immediately injected urgency — and volatility — into talks that had been inching forward all week.

“RELEASE THE HOSTAGES, ALL OF THEM, INCLUDING THE BODIES OF THOSE THAT ARE DEAD, NOW!” Trump wrote. “An Agreement must be reached with Hamas by Sunday Evening at SIX (6) P.M., Washington, D.C. time. Every Country has signed on! … THERE WILL BE PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.”

The stakes

The ultimatum comes just days after Trump rolled out a 20-point peace plan alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. The proposal calls for:

An immediate ceasefire and full release of Israeli hostages within 72 hours.

A gradual Israeli withdrawal to a perimeter buffer zone.

The disarmament and power handover of Hamas.

In exchange: major humanitarian aid, the release of 1,000+ Palestinian prisoners, and conditional steps toward eventual Palestinian statehood.

Netanyahu has endorsed the plan, while vowing to “resist” full Palestinian independence. Hamas, which confirmed receipt of the document Tuesday, has so far withheld a formal response.

The pressure game

Trump’s deadline now thrusts Qatar and Egypt — the mediators shuttling between delegations in Doha — into the spotlight. Both governments have publicly urged Hamas to take the deal. Arab allies, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the UAE, and Egypt, have also lined up behind the plan. Turkey, a late entrant to the talks, is joining discussions in Doha today.

European capitals are echoing the same message. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have both pressed Hamas to accept, with the EU signaling broad support.

Hamas’ hesitation

Inside Hamas, the sticking point is disarmament. A senior official told the BBC the plan “serves Israel’s interests” and “ignores those of the Palestinian people.” Yet another source familiar with the talks told The Times of Israel that Hamas could respond “positively” with amendments as early as today, raising the possibility of a last-minute diplomatic opening.

Rhetoric and reality

Trump’s post paired promises of peace with blunt threats: “As for the rest, we know where and who you are, and you will be hunted down, and killed,” he wrote, warning Hamas fighters directly. He urged civilians in Gaza to evacuate “areas of potentially great future death,” while pledging aid from waiting international partners.

Netanyahu, appearing with Trump earlier this week, put it even more bluntly: “This could be done the easy way or the hard way. But it will be done.”

Nearly two years of war have displaced 90 percent of Gaza’s 2.1 million residents, according to U.N. figures. Inside the territory, freelance journalists describe a population split: some see Trump’s plan as a lifeline, others as a surrender.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)