The Hamas terror group on Thursday dismissed President Donald Trump’s latest threat and refused to release more Israeli hostages without a permanent ceasefire deal in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas spokesman Abdel-Latif al-Qanoua said the «best path to free the remaining Israeli hostages» is through negotiations on a second phase of the ceasefire agreement. 

The first phase of the ceasefire, which lasted 42 days, ended on Saturday. A second phase was supposed to begin in early February, though only limited preparatory talks have been held so far.

Hamas’ response comes after Trump met with eight former hostages in Washington and posted what he called a «last warning» to Hamas on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday.

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«‘Shalom Hamas’ means Hello and Goodbye – You can choose,» the president’s post began. «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.»

President Donald Trump speaks during a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Trump added that he is «sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job,» and that «not a single Hamas member will be safe if you don’t do as I say.

«Also, to the People of Gaza: A beautiful Future awaits, but not if you hold Hostages,» the president wrote. «If you do, you are DEAD! Make a SMART decision. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW, OR THERE WILL BE HELL TO PAY LATER!»

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Hamas is believed to still have 24 living hostages taken in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that led to the ongoing war. It is also holding the bodies of 34 others who were either killed in the initial attack or in captivity, as well as the remains of a soldier killed in the 2014 war.

Destroyed buildings by Israeli bombardments in the northern Gaza Strip as seen from southern Israel on Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

Hamas terrorists killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the Oct. 7 attack and took a total of 251 people hostage. Most have been released in ceasefire agreements or other arrangements. Israeli forces have rescued eight living hostages and recovered the bodies of dozens more.

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Israel’s military offensive has killed over 48,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were militants. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 fighters, without providing evidence.

Fox News Digital’s Andrea Margolis and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Un libro sobre las víctimas

Una marcha en homenaje a Gisele Pelicot por su coraje, frente a la corte de Avignon donde se celebró el juicio, en diciembre de 2024. Foto: AP

Las sospechas contra el padre

New Zealand’s most senior diplomat to the UK was fired after seeming to question President Donald Trump’s understanding of history and his handling of Russia. The incident took place during an event hosted by Chatham House, a think tank in London.

Phil Goff, who was serving as New Zealand’s High Commissioner to the UK, apparently tried to draw a contrast between Winston Churchill’s handling of Nazi Germany and Trump’s approach to Russia. 

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The New Zealand official said he was re-reading a famous Churchill speech from 1938 in which the British leader blasts then-Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain’s decision to sign the Munich Agreement with Adolf Hitler. 

«President Trump has restored the bust of Churchill to the Oval Office. But do you think he really understands history?,» Goff asked Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, referencing the bust seen during President Trump’s heated exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Valtonen seemed uncomfortable with the question, saying she would «limit» herself in her response. Rather than saying anything about Trump, the Finnish official said many of Churchill’s remarks were «timeless.»

U.S. President Donald Trump (C) and Vice President JD Vance meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office at the White House on Feb. 28, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

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When speaking with media, New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters, who fired Goff, called the diplomat’s question «deeply disappointing.» He also said that it made «his position as high commissioner to London untenable.»

Peters called Goff’s firing «one of the most difficult» things he has had to do in his career. He also said that had the former high commissioner made the statement about any other nation, he would have been «forced to act,» implying that the firing was not because Goff specifically insulted Trump. 

New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters attends a press conference, following his meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, in Beijing, China Feb. 26, 2025.  (REUTERS/Laurie Chen/Pool)

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«When you’re in that position, you represent the views of the government and the policies of the day – you’re not able to free-think, you are the face of New Zealand,» Peters told the press on Thursday.

Goff has had a storied political career and has served as foreign minister, a Labour Party leader and mayor of Auckland. He was appointed to his position as high commissioner to the UK in 2022.