A diplomatic clock is ticking loudly for Hamas, which faces a stark choice presented by the United States: cooperate fully with a new peace deal or face “complete obliteration.” This ultimatum has pushed the Gaza conflict into a dramatic and decisive endgame.
With a U.S.-brokered deal now “90 per cent done,” the time for negotiation is nearly over. According to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Hamas has “basically” agreed to the terms, which include releasing hostages in exchange for an Israeli military pullback.
However, President Donald Trump has made it clear that this initial agreement is not enough. He has set a final, uncompromising condition: Hamas must follow through and ultimately cede control of Gaza. The choice is between a path of political negotiation or one of total destruction.
This powerful ultimatum is designed to force a swift and definitive conclusion to the current technical talks. The U.S. expects to see immediate and unconditional cooperation from Hamas on the logistics of the hostage release as a first sign of their choice.
The fate of Hamas and the future of Gaza now hang in the balance, contingent on a decision that must be made under the shadow of an overwhelming threat. The world waits to see which path the militant group will choose.