During a meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah II on Tuesday, President Donald J. Trump reiterated his plan for the United States to take control of Gaza while the Arab residents would be relocated to Jordan and Egypt. The proposal, which the King argued would create political instability in his country and the region, came as Trump issued a stern warning to Hamas, threatening that “all bets are off” if it does not release all remaining Israeli hostages by Saturday.
After almost a full week of Trump threatening that all hell will break loose if all the hostages are not released, late yesterday, a Hamas official said that they will release hostages as planned on Saturday under the agreement already signed.
In his meeting with King Abdullah Trump reiterated his stance that the United States would take control of Gaza. “We’re going to take it, we’re going to hold it, we’re going to cherish it,” he told reporters.
King Abdullah carefully avoided engaging in the discussion. The king had to be cognizant of the $1.5 billion in annual aid to Jordan that President Trump is expected to dispense over the next four years. However, with all the eyes in the Middle East on him, including the “Palestinians” who constitute some 80% of his own country, Abdullah could not agree publicly to Trump’s demand that Jordan take in a million Gazans.
As a gesture of goodwill, King Abdullah told Trump his country would take in some 2,000 sick children from Gaza. “I think one of the things that we can do right away is take 2,000 children, cancer children who are in a very ill state, that is possible,” Abdullah told the president.
The Trump effect is in action. He is calling for ALL hostages to be released by Saturday at noon and Hamas has relented but only to abide by the agreement now in place which means releasing another drip of hostages which is far short of Trump’s demand. Can we look forward to a favorable outcome for all the U.S. and Israel? Be sure to stay tuned to this developing story.
Hamas official: Hostage release to go on as planned, by Israel National News, February 12, 2025