Washington, D.C. – U.S. Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs Adam Boehler issued a stern warning to Hamas, cautioning the militant group against testing President Donald Trump as the deadline for the next hostage release approaches this weekend.
Hamas Delays Hostage Release, Citing Ceasefire Violations
Currently, seven Americans are being held by Hamas, which the U.S. classifies as a foreign terrorist organization. “It’s a terror organization, and that’s unacceptable,” Boehler stated during an interview on Fox News’ “The Story” on Wednesday.
Earlier this week, Hamas announced it would delay the scheduled release of hostages, accusing Israel of violating the terms of the ongoing ceasefire agreement. In response, President Trump urged Israel to abandon the ceasefire if Hamas fails to release all captives by noon on Saturday.
“I’d say they ought to be returned by 12 o’clock on Saturday, and if they’re not returned—all of them, not in drips and drabs, not two and one and three and four and two—Saturday at 12 o’clock, and after that, I would say, all hell is going to break out,” Trump warned reporters.
Hostage Situation in Gaza
According to data compiled by Fox News, 76 hostages remain in captivity within the Gaza Strip, including at least six Americans.
Among them, Edan Alexander and Sagui Dekel-Chen are believed to be the only two Americans still alive. Meanwhile, Hamas is holding the bodies of four other Americans who were declared dead in either 2023 or 2024.
U.S. Stance on Hamas and Potential Consequences
Boehler emphasized that Trump has a track record of taking decisive action, citing past confrontations with Iran during his previous administration. “I fully believe the president in following through on the ‘what else’ because he’s done that multiple times before,” Boehler told Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum.
He warned Hamas against escalating the situation, stating, “If Hamas wants to test that will, I think it’s a big mistake.” Boehler also accused Hamas of endangering not only the hostages but the entire population of Gaza and the West Bank.
“We need to expunge this threat, and I think they need to come forward and be constructive, or it’s going to be a real, real problem,” he asserted. “This is Hamas’ decision as a terror organization. We’re just following through on what we said.”
Israel Vows to Resume Military Operations if Hostages Are Not Released
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed his stance on the ceasefire agreement, declaring on X (formerly Twitter) that Israel will resume military operations if Hamas fails to release the hostages as scheduled.
With tensions escalating and the deadline fast approaching, the international community is closely watching how both Israel and the U.S. will respond should Hamas refuse to comply.
