Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that the White House has not received a purported letter from Hamas proposing a 60-day ceasefire in exchange for the release of half of the remaining Gaza hostages. He emphasized that President Donald Trump would not consider any proposal that does not include a complete release of all hostages.
During an appearance on Fox & Friends, Rubio stated, “We haven’t seen the letter. We don’t have that letter, and even if we did, it wouldn’t matter. The president has already made clear he’s not interested in 60 days, 10 people. He wants all the hostages out— all 48, including the 20 who are alive and the 28 who are deceased.”
He expressed frustration over the ongoing negotiations, stating, “Why are we even talking about hostages? Why do we still have to talk about hostages at this point? There shouldn’t be any. They should all be released immediately. Period. That’s the president’s position.”
Rubio reiterated that even if Hamas’s offer had been presented to President Trump, he would have dismissed it outright. He suggested that the communication might have been aimed more at the media than the administration.
According to previous reports from sources within the Trump administration, Hamas had prepared the letter for delivery to Trump this week as part of a negotiation strategy.
This revelation follows President Trump’s assertion during his recent visit to the U.K. that he wants the remaining hostages freed immediately. Trump’s urgency reflects ongoing concerns about hostage safety as the situation evolves.
ISRAEL’S MILITARY ACTIONS IN GAZA CITY ESCALATE
Compounding the complexity of the hostage crisis, Trump communicated what he referred to as his “last warning” to Hamas in a Truth Social post earlier in the month. He wrote, “Everyone wants the hostages HOME. Everyone wants this War to end! The Israelis have accepted my Terms. It is time for Hamas to accept as well. I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting. This is my last warning; there will not be another one!”
Rubio went on to address what could occur in the event that Hamas does not capitulate, indicating that Israeli forces are poised to advance into Gaza City. This area has become a focal point for Hamas leadership, and the Israeli military has begun operations to confront Hamas directly.
He warned, “It may take a while, but they’re not going to survive the Israeli push.” His comments reflect a growing concern regarding the potential fallout of continued resistance from Hamas.
Rubio expressed hope that a peaceful resolution could still be reached, stating, “What we would hope to see is that it doesn’t have to happen, because Hamas surrenders, they lay down their arms, and they release all the hostages. Then the important work of rebuilding Gaza and creating a place where Palestinians can live prosperously and peacefully can begin. But that work cannot begin until the hostages are released and Hamas ceases to exist.”
He concluded by emphasizing that the quicker these outcomes occur, the sooner the pathway to peace will be established.
This report includes contributions from Fox News’ Trey Yingst and Alex Nitzberg.
