Donald Trump on Wednesday warned of intensified attacks on Gaza if all remaining hostages were not freed, while issuing an ultimatum for Hamas leaders to flee.
The United States, meanwhile, confirmed unprecedented indirect talks with Hamas, which it proscribes as a "terrorist" group, focused on American hostages in Gaza.
Strongly backing Israel as the cease-fire teeters, Trump said he was "sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job" as his administration expedites billions of dollars in weapons.
"Release all of the Hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you," he wrote on his Truth Social platform after meeting freed hostages.
"This is your last warning! For the leadership, now is the time to leave Gaza, while you still have a chance."
Trump also warned of repercussions for Gaza as a whole, where virtually the entire population has been displaced by Israel's genocidal war in response to Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 incursion.
"To the People of Gaza: A beautiful Future awaits, but not if you hold Hostages. If you do, you are DEAD!"
His comments follow Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's warning of "consequences that you cannot imagine" if Hamas does not hand over the remaining hostages seized on Oct. 7.
The first phase of a cease-fire ended over the weekend after six weeks of relative calm that included exchanges of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.
While Israel has said it wants to extend the first phase until mid-April, Hamas has insisted on a transition to the second phase, which should lead to a lasting cease-fire.
Israel has ramped up pressure not just with threats but also by halting the flow of goods and supplies into Gaza.
"Hamas has indeed suffered a severe blow, but it has not yet been defeated. The mission is not yet accomplished," Israel's new military chief Eyal Zamir warned Wednesday.
Also Wednesday, France, Britain and Germany jointly called the humanitarian situation in Gaza "catastrophic," and urged Israel to ensure the "unhindered" delivery of aid.
South Africa said Israel's restriction of aid into Gaza amounted to using starvation as a weapon of war.
"We lack drinking water. People are complaining of lack of water in general. We cannot get rid of the waste, which affects the groundwater," Abu Hammam al-Hasanat, a 34-year-old who lives in the Gaza Strip, told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Trump's hawkish language came after the United States confirmed unprecedented direct talks with Hamas, with the U.S. envoy on hostage affairs, Adam Boehler, discussing American hostages.
"Look, dialogue and talking to people around the world to do what's in the best interest of the American people is something that the president" believes is right, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
The United States had refused direct contact with the Palestinian resistance groups since banning them as a terrorist organization in 1997. But Leavitt said that the hostage envoy "has the authority to talk to anyone."
Both the White House and Netanyahu's office confirmed Israel was consulted in advance.
Five Americans are believed to remain among the hostages – four have been confirmed dead and one, Edan Alexander, is believed to be alive.
The Oct. 7 incursion caused 1,218 deaths and took 251 captives, of whom 58 remain in Gaza, including 34 Israel has confirmed are dead.
Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, in comparison, has killed at least 48,440 people, mostly women and children, according to the Health Ministry.
In an interview Wednesday night, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Hamas to take seriously Trump's threats of retaliation.
"He doesn't say these things and not mean it, as folks are finding out around the world. If he says he's going to do something, he'll do it," Rubio said.
