Former President Donald Trump’s all hellwarning to Hamas over hostage releases dominated last week’s geopolitical drama, yet experts question whether his threats influenced the fragile ceasefire. As three hostages were freed on February 15 under existing agreements, analysts argue Trump’s ultimatum lacked real-world impact despite White House claims of breakthrough momentum.
Trump declared on February 13:
If all hostages aren’t returned by Saturday at 12 o’clock... all bets are off, and let hell break out.The deadline passed with Hamas releasing only pre-scheduled captives, including American Sagui Dekel-Chen, in exchange for 369 Palestinian prisoners.
Key developments since the ultimatum:
- Hamas released four bodies falsely labeled as hostages on February 16
- Netanyahu reaffirmed alliance with Trump after meeting Secretary Rubio
- UN condemned Trump’s Gaza redevelopment plan as potential ethnic cleansing
Middle East Institute expert Brian Katulis told ABC News:
World leaders heavily discount Trump’s words. The real threat comes from Israeli military action, not rhetorical bluster.This skepticism follows Trump’s repeated hostage crisis warnings since December 2024:
- December 2024: Threatened ALL HELL TO PAYif hostages remained by Inauguration Day
- January 2025: Warned hell will break outduring Fox News interview
- February 2025: Pushed Gaza takeover plan amid ceasefire talks
While National Security Adviser Mike Waltz credits Trump’s clear messagefor recent progress, the February 15 releases aligned with pre-negotiated terms. American University’s Guy Ziv notes:
Hamas was never releasing all hostages at once. Trump’s deadline changed nothing.
The administration now faces scrutiny over conflicting statements about Gaza strategy. Trump’s call to take overthe territory drew sharp UN criticism, while Netanyahu’s gates of hellrhetoric mirrors Trump’s escalation language. With 136 hostages reportedly remaining in Gaza, analysts warn inconsistent messaging could destabilize ongoing negotiations.