Trump warns Hamas: Refusing to relinquish power means 'total extermination'
U.S. President Donald Trump warned Hamas of facing 'total extermination' if it insists on refusing to relinquish power and control over the Gaza Strip, as part of his proposed plan to end the ongoing war in the region.
The statements came during an interview with CNN on Saturday evening, aired on Sunday, where Trump confirmed his pursuit of a broader vision for peace. When asked whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agrees to halt the bombing and supports this vision, Trump replied, 'Yes, for Bibi.'
Trump added, 'He expects to know soon whether Hamas is committed to peace.'
On the Egyptian ground, indirect talks are taking place today, Monday, between the delegations of Hamas and Israel in Sharm El-Sheikh, where the delegations are expected to discuss 'lists of names of prisoners that Israel must release' in exchange for Israeli hostages.
A Palestinian official familiar with the negotiations revealed that the indirect talks will witness 'exchange of messages between the two parties (Hamas and Israel) through Egyptian and Qatari mediators.'
The official pointed out that 'both delegations are expected to be in the same building and away from the media,' indicating the sensitive nature of this new round of negotiations.
In detail regarding the proposed plan, which is included in Trump's vision, it requires Israel to release 250 Palestinian detainees serving life sentences, and more than 1,700 Palestinians from the Gaza Strip who were arrested after the attacks on October 7, 2023.
Alongside the diplomatic track, military escalation continued, as Israeli warplanes launched a series of airstrikes on the northern part of Khan Younis city in southern Gaza Strip, while Israeli artillery targeted the northwestern areas of the Nuseirat camp in the center of the Strip.
In another development, local sources confirmed to reporters on the ground that the Israeli army 'completely destroyed Al-Azhar University in the city of Gaza,' adding a new dimension to the destruction inflicted on the educational and civilian infrastructure in the region.
