Trump says Hamas will 'pay in hell' unless it accepts plan within days

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – US President Donald Trump on Tuesday issued a direct ultimatum to Hamas, warning that the militant group would “pay in hell” if it failed to accept within days his sweeping peace plan for Gaza, a 20-point blueprint unveiled by the White House aimed at ending nearly two years of war.

Speaking before US generals and admirals in Quantico, Virginia, Trump declared: “We have one signature that we need, and that signature will pay in hell if they don't sign. I hope they sign for their own good and create something really great.” He stressed that Hamas had only “three or four days” to respond to the proposal.

The plan requires Hamas to disarm, release all hostages within 72 hours, and accept the establishment of a transitional authority headed by Trump himself. It also lays out a phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, with amnesty offered to Hamas members who renounce violence and agree to peaceful coexistence. However, the plan stipulates that Hamas militants will have no role in any future government.

World powers, including Arab and Muslim nations, have welcomed the proposal, but Hamas has not yet issued its official response.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on Tuesday for “all parties” to commit to the peace plan presented by Trump. His spokesman Farhan Haq said in a statement: “It is now crucial that all parties commit to an agreement and its implementation... He once again reiterates his call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire.”

In Doha, Qatar announced late Tuesday that it was holding talks with Hamas alongside delegations from Turkey and Egypt to discuss Trump’s plan.

Majed al-Ansari, spokesman for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told reporters: “Qatar and Egypt yesterday, through meetings here in Doha with the negotiating delegation from Hamas, delivered the plan, and the negotiating delegation promised to study it responsibly.”

He added that another meeting would be held later in the evening with Turkish participation, underscoring the importance of regional coordination.

Al-Ansari explained: “It is still too early to speak of responses, but we are truly optimistic that this plan... is a comprehensive plan.”

A Palestinian official close to Hamas confirmed to the Palestinian Press Agency that the movement began Tuesday studying the plan within its leadership structures and in consultation with other Palestinian factions.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking Monday in Washington, announced that he supports Trump’s plan, while warning that the Israeli military “will finish the mission” if Hamas does not agree to the terms.

Qatar, which has long mediated in the conflict alongside the United States and Egypt, reiterated its readiness to continue pushing for an end to the war. The pledge came despite tensions after an Israeli strike hit the Gulf state earlier this month, an incident for which Israel issued an apology.

The White House’s 20-Point Plan

The White House document, titled Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict, lays out in detail the steps expected from both parties. According to the full text:

1-Gaza will be transformed into a deradicalized terror-free zone that poses no threat to its neighbors.

2-Gaza will be redeveloped for the benefit of its people, who have endured immense suffering.

3-If both sides accept, the war will immediately end. Israel will withdraw to an agreed line to prepare for a hostage release. During this period, all operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment, will stop, and battle lines will remain frozen until a staged withdrawal is completed.

4-Within 72 hours of Israel publicly accepting the agreement, all hostages, alive and deceased, will be returned.

5-Once hostages are released, Israel will free 250 life-sentence prisoners along with 1,700 Gazans detained after October 7, 2023, including all women and children. For every Israeli hostage whose remains are returned, Israel will release the remains of 15 deceased Gazans.

6-Hamas members who renounce violence and decommission their weapons will be granted amnesty. Those wishing to leave Gaza will be given safe passage to receiving countries.

7-Immediate aid will be delivered to Gaza, covering water, electricity, sewage, hospitals, bakeries, and rubble removal. The Rafah crossing will be reopened under mechanisms established in the January 19, 2025 humanitarian agreement.

8-Aid distribution will be conducted by the UN, the Red Crescent, and other international agencies unaffiliated with either party.

9-Gaza will be governed by a temporary technocratic Palestinian committee with oversight from an international transitional body called the Board of Peace, chaired by Trump and including other world leaders such as former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. This body will supervise redevelopment until the Palestinian Authority completes reforms and can assume control.

10-A Trump economic development plan will mobilize experts from across the Middle East to rebuild Gaza and attract investment.

11-A special economic zone will be created with preferential tariffs and access rates.

12-No one will be forced to leave Gaza; those who do may freely return. The goal is to encourage people to stay and build a better future.

13-Hamas and other factions will have no role in Gaza’s governance. All tunnels, weapons factories, and military infrastructure will be dismantled, with decommissioning supervised by independent monitors. An internationally funded buy-back program will ensure weapons are permanently beyond use.

14-Regional partners will guarantee compliance and ensure Gaza poses no threat to its neighbors.

15-An International Stabilization Force (ISF) will deploy to Gaza, training Palestinian police and working with Jordan and Egypt on border security. The ISF will prevent weapons smuggling and facilitate reconstruction.

16-Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza. As the ISF establishes control, Israeli Defense Forces will progressively withdraw, retaining only a security perimeter until Gaza is fully secure.

17-If Hamas rejects the deal, the plan and aid operations will proceed in areas cleared of “terror infrastructure.”

18-An interfaith dialogue will be established to change mindsets and narratives, emphasizing peace and coexistence.

19-With Gaza stabilized and the Palestinian Authority reformed, a pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood will be pursued.

20-The United States will broker dialogue between Israel and Palestinians to agree on a long-term political horizon for coexistence.

The proposal comes at a critical moment in the nearly two-year war between Israel and Hamas. While many Arab and Muslim states have cautiously endorsed the plan, the outcome hinges on Hamas’s response within the limited timeframe set by Trump.

As the US president warned, “We want them to sign for their own good and create something really great.” But failure to do so, he said, would condemn Hamas to “pay in hell.”