Hamas senior official Sami Abu Zuhri. Photo: Reuters.
U.S. President Donald Trump must remember that the only way to bring Israeli hostages back home is to honor the ongoing ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, said senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri. He made this statement in an interview with British news agency Reuters on Tuesday (February 11).
He stated, “Trump must remember that there is an agreement here that both sides must respect, and this is the only way to bring back the prisoners. The language of threats holds no value; it only makes the situation more complicated.”
On Monday, Trump said that if Hamas does not release all Israeli hostages by Saturday, he would propose canceling the ceasefire.
Under the ongoing ceasefire since January, Hamas was supposed to release hostages in phases. However, Hamas has accused Israel of violating the ceasefire conditions by launching attacks on Gaza and has suspended the process.
Trump wants to relocate Gaza’s 2 million residents elsewhere, seize control of the region, and turn it into a Middle Eastern beach resort.
On Tuesday, Trump is set to meet Jordan’s King Abdullah. Tension surrounds the meeting, as the U.S. President is pressuring Jordan to resettle Palestinians as part of his Gaza reconstruction plan. Otherwise, he has threatened to cut off U.S. aid to the country.
The Gaza war began in October 2023 after Hamas launched an attack on Israeli territory. However, a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has been in effect since mid-January, brokered by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States.
