“All hell will break loose” if the remaining hostages in Gaza aren’t released by Saturday at noon, President Trump warned after Hamas announced it was delaying the release until further notice.

Hamas accused Israel on Monday night of violating the ceasefire terms in the past three weeks by shooting at Palestinians, halting aid, and delaying the return of civilians to northern Gaza. 

Yet more than 12,000 trucks with humanitarian aid have entered Gaza since the ceasefire came into effect last month, while the delay of civilians to northern Gaza was an Israeli response to Hamas not releasing civilian women before soldiers as part of the deal. 

Mr. Trump said that it’s Israel’s decision how to respond to Hamas’ announcement, but “as far as I’m concerned, if all of the hostages aren’t returned by Saturday at 12 o’clock, I think it’s an appropriate time. I would say, cancel it and all bets are off and let hell break out. I’d say they ought to be returned by 12 o’clock on Saturday.”

The president added that releasing the hostages in “in dribs and drabs” is not viable going forward due to their physical and mental conditions. 

“We want them all back. It’s time to come up with a date. We’re going to do keep-up every week, two people, three people? I don’t think you can do that anymore. These are seriously endangered people, I don’t think they’re going to last very long,” he said.

“Based on what I saw over the last two days, they’re not going to be alive for long. Saturday at 12 o’clock, and after that, it’s going to be a different ball game” he added. 

Hamas will “find out what I mean” about hell breaking out, Mr. Trump said, adding that the terror group are “sick people, and they’ll find out what I mean [on] Saturday at 12.”

A Senior Hamas official, Sami Abu Zuhri, told Reuters that Mr Trump “must remember that there is an agreement that must be respected by both parties, and this is the only way to bring back the [hostages]. The language of threats has no value and only complicates matters.”

Secretary-General Guterres urged Hamas to continue releasing hostages, saying: “We must avoid at all costs resumption of hostilities in Gaza that would lead to immense tragedy. I appeal to Hamas to proceed with the planned liberation of hostages.”

Israel’s security cabinet was due to convene at 11 a.m. local time to discuss how to respond to Hamas’ decision to delay the release of hostages, but the defense minister, Yisrael Katz, called it an “outright violation of the ceasefire.”

“I have instructed the IDF to prepare at the highest level of alert for any possible scenario in Gaza and to protect the (border) communities,” Mr. Katz added. 

Shortly after Mr. Trump’s ultimatum to Hamas, Finance Minister and security cabinet member Betzalel Smotrich tweeted: “Everybody, now.” Former National Security Minister and leader of the Jewish Power party, Itamar Ben Gvir, also supported the ultimatum, saying: “Trump is correct. Return to destruction now.”

Mr. Trump also threatened Egypt and Jordan with halting U.S. aid to both countries if they don’t accept any Palestinians from Gaza. “Yeah, maybe, sure why not? If they don’t, I would conceivably withhold aid, yes,” Mr Trump responded when asked about it. 

In an interview with FOX News on Monday, the president said he thinks he could make a deal with Jordan. “I think I could make a deal with Egypt. We give them billions and billions of dollars a year,” he said. 

Mr. Trump is scheduled to meet with the Hashemite king, Abdullah II, in the White House on Tuesday, but the king has outright rejected being part of the president’s Gaza plan which would see the displacement of some 2 million Palestinians.