3 weeks ago
33
February 15, 2025 | 02:09 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Donald Trump on Friday advocated taking a "hard stance" on Gaza, the Palestinian enclave for which he has proposed a U.S. takeover and where a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian Hamas militants is in place.
Trump had said this week that Hamas should release all Israeli hostages in Gaza by Saturday midday or "let hell break out."
"I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow (Saturday) at 12'o clock. If it was up to me, I would take a very hard stance but I can't tell you what Israel is going to do," Trump told reporters on Friday.
A ceasefire went into effect just before Trump returned to the presidency on January 20.
Some Israeli hostages have been released by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners have been released by Israel since then.
The U.N. human rights office has described images of both emaciated Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees released as distressing, saying they reflected the dire conditions in which they were held.
Trump on Friday reiterated his concerns about the appearances of released Israeli hostages without commenting on the state of the Palestinians.
U.S. ally Israel's military assault on Gaza has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians since October 2023, according to the Gaza health ministry, and led to accusations of genocide and war crimes that Israel denies. The assault internally displaced nearly Gaza's entire population and caused a hunger crisis.
The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking some 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
Trump has faced international condemnation for his proposal to take over Gaza and permanently displace Palestinians there. Rights experts and the United Nations have called it a proposal for ethnic cleansing.
REUTERS | Trevor Hunnicutt and Kanishka Singh
Editor’s Choice: Record Number of Journalists Killed in 2024, Israel Mostly Responsible, CPJ Says
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
Gaza Militant Groups Name Three Hostages to Be Released on Saturday
1 jam lalu
Hamas in Gaza said they would release hostages Iair Horn, U.S.-Israeli Sagui Dekel-Chen and Russian-Israeli Alexandre Sasha Troufanov on Saturday.
Trump Says TikTok Deadline Could Be Extended
23 jam lalu
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that his 75-day delay in enforcing a ban on the popular short-video app TikTok could be extended.
Trump Plans Tariffs on Canada, France over Digital Services Taxes
1 hari lalu
U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday said he planned to impose tariffs on Canada and France over their digital services taxes.
Hamas Says It is Willing to Move Ahead with Gaza Ceasefire
1 hari lalu
Hamas said it did not want the deal to collapse, though it rejected what it called the "language of threats and intimidation" from
Israel Seen as Likely to Attack Iran by Midyear, Washington Post Reports
1 hari lalu
Israel is likely to launch a preemptive attack on Iran's nuclear program by midyear. Such an attack would set back Iran's nuclear program by months.
Record Number of Journalists Killed in 2024, Israel Mostly Responsible, CPJ Says
1 hari lalu
the Committee to Protect Journalists said Israel was responsible for nearly 70 percent of journalists' deaths around the world last year.
MUI Speaks of 'Malice' Behind Trump's Gaza Plan
1 hari lalu
The Deputy Chairman of MUI Anwar Abbas suspects a malicious plan behind Trump's idea to relocate Palestinian residents from Gaza.
Egypt's President Sisi to Stay Away from White House if Gaza Displacement on Agenda
2 hari lalu
Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi won't travel to Washington for talks at the White House if they still intend to displace Palestinians from Gaza
Concern Mounts Over Gaza Ceasefire as Israel Calls up Reservists
2 hari lalu
Gaza residents expressed alarm that the ceasefire might collapse and urged Hamas and Israeli leaders to agree on an extension.
Elon Musk Admits to Spreading Hoax of US$50 Million Condom Shipment to Gaza
2 hari lalu
Elon Musk admits to spreading a hoax that the U.S. allegedly planned to send a US$50 million shipment of condoms to the Gaza Strip, Palestine.
