Washington is in “very intense” negotiations with Hamas. Trump: “The group requires some things that are acceptable”

US President Donald Trump said on Friday that Washington is in “very advanced negotiations” with the Palestinian group Hamas and has requested the release of all hostages in Gaza, according to Reuters.

“We are in a very advanced negotiation with Hamas,” Trump told journalists, warning that the situation will be “difficult” and “ugly” if the group will continue to retain Israeli hostages.

“I told them: Release them all, right now, release them all. And things will go much better for you, but if you do not release them, the situation will become difficult, it will be ugly,” Trump said, adding that Hamas “asks for some things that are acceptable.”

Trump did not give more details.

The American leader had promised a quick closing of the war

Palestinian militants took over 250 hostages in Gaza after the October 2023 attack from Israel, resulting in about 1,200 dead, according to Israeli data.

The offensive launched by the US alloy, Israel, on the Gaza strip caused tens of thousands of dead, led to the internal relocation of the entire population and generated genocide and war crimes in international courts and from several human rights organizations. Israel rejects these accusations.

In the presidential campaign, Trump promised a quick conclusion of the war in Gaza, but a solution remains far away.

About 50 Israeli hostages are still in the Hamas hands, 20 of whom would be alive.

Hamas said he would free some of the hostages in exchange for a temporary armistice, while Trump repeated several times that he wants to release all hostages.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war in Gaza will only end if all hostages are released, Hamas will be disarmed, Israel will establish security control over the enclave and an alternative civil administration will be formed. Hamas, instead, demands the cessation of war and withdrawal of Israel from Gaza.