Trump warns Hamas as US in deep talks on hostage deal

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that Washington was in "very deep" negotiations with Hamas and urged the Palestinian militant group to accept a proposed deal to free the remaining hostages held in Gaza, calling it his "last warning" to the group. Trump said Israel had accepted his terms and that a ceasefire-and-hostage swap could be announced soon, but accounts differ over how the proposal was conveyed to Israeli officials and whether they have fully reviewed its wording.

Speaking to reporters after returning to Washington from New York, Trump said negotiators were "working on a solution that may be very good" and that the aim was to get the hostages back. He added he thought all the hostages would be returned, "dead or alive," and said some may already have died but that their bodies should be returned. On his social media account he wrote, "Everyone wants the Hostages HOME. Everyone wants this War to end," and warned that there would be consequences if Hamas rejected the terms.

Media reports described a proposal that would see Hamas release all remaining captives on the first day of a truce in exchange for the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners held in...