President Donald Trump warned Hamas that if it rejects his peace deal and wants to stay in power in Gaza, it will face “complete obliteration.”
Trump issued the warning in a text correspondence with CNN host Jake Tapper, who read the conversation out loud on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday.
“I asked him what happens if Hamas insists on staying in power in Gaza,” Tapper said. “The president said, ‘Complete obliteration!’”
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Trump’s plan — supported by Israel and the Palestinian Authority, among others — includes the disarmament of Hamas and allows its members who give up their arms to seek amnesty. In return, there would be a swift ceasefire and unimpeded aid delivery.
As for the future government of Gaza, Trump proposed a “temporary transitional” board consisting of a “technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee” that would be “responsible for delivering the day-to-day running of public services and municipalities for the people of Gaza.” Trump would oversee this body, called the “Board of Peace,” and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair would also be involved.
“I asked him, ‘When will you know if Hamas is truly committed or just stringing the world along? And is [Israeli] Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on board with ending the bombing, as you called for, and whatever else you need him to do to make this peace proposal a reality?” Tapper read on Sunday. “The president said, ‘Yes on Bibi. Soon on the rest!’”
Already, one Hamas senior official, Mahmoud Mardawi, has criticized the plan for favoring Israel. However, Hamas confirmed it is considering the plan ahead of a tentative Wednesday deadline.
In a show of good faith, Israel agreed to an “initial withdrawal line” out of Gaza, according to Trump. However, Hamas has until 6 p.m. Eastern on Sunday to agree to the deal and initiate a permanent ceasefire.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized the administration’s goal to have all the hostages released and aid flowing into Gaza within 72 hours of the deadline, under the condition of Hamas agreeing to the deal. Hamas has already agreed to release all the hostages, dead and alive.
“Our hope is by the time our team gets to Cairo, 90% of this has been worked out, and we’re just sort of finalizing the logistical piece. We would like to see it done yesterday. We want to see the hostages moving as quickly as possible,” Rubio said on ABC News’s This Week on Sunday.
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“We want to see this happen very fast. If it doesn’t, then I think the entire deal becomes imperiled. So this has to happen quickly for the sake of the hostages, the families, and this deal,” Rubio added.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said negotiations to end the war in Gaza need to happen "very fast," otherwise President Trump's proposed deal "becomes imperiled."
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) October 5, 2025
"So this has to happen quickly. For the sake of the hostages, the families and this deal.” https://t.co/04gIj4qme5 pic.twitter.com/fgON95mvm8
The administration is unlikely to be receptive to amendments from Hamas, as Trump called his 20-point plan a “LAST CHANCE agreement.”
