Hamas can avoid Israel’s planned takeover of the Gaza Strip and secure humanitarian aid if the terrorist group signs on to a cease-fire framework pitched by US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff — but time is running out, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations said Monday.
To avoid a bloody ground invasion by the Jewish state, Hamas must release more than half of the 23 hostages believed to still be alive by the end of this week, Danny Danon told reporters at the UN.
“Israel is preparing a major operation in Gaza — we are not hiding it. We have … the troops ready,” he said. “If there will be no development in the negotiations, we will apply pressure — military pressure — in order to make sure that we bring back hostages and then eliminate Hamas.”
“If the … earlier framework of Envoy Witkoff is accepted, we will be able to avoid this operation, but you don’t have a lot of time for that,” he added.
Danon urged Hamas to take the offer seriously, emphasizing that once the Israel Defense Forces get underway, “it’s not something you can stop in the middle of.”
Asked by The Post how long Hamas has to agree to the framework, Danon said the Israeli government wants to first see what comes of President Trump’s visit to the Middle East this week.
“Basically, I think we have few more days for the president,” he said. “I think that’s the time to get things done.”
Should Hamas agree, Israel would enter into a cease-fire with the terror group and send humanitarian aid into Gaza using private companies rather than international agencies like the UN or Red Cross, Danon said.
“I think they realize that we are serious this time, because it’s not talks — we put the plan on the table,” Danon said. “We’re going to encourage the population to move out from the north, to operate in the north, and we’ll use a lot of force — so they know what we will do.
“Now it’s up to them to decide whether they want to wait, you know, three, four months and negotiate when we will be in a different position in Gaza or if they want to negotiate now.”
Hamas released the last living American hostage in its grasp, Edan Alexander, on Monday after discussions with the US.
Danon said he hoped Alexander’s release would be the first of dozens more.
“President Trump is on his way to the Middle East, and we hope that the release of Edan Alexander can lead to the release of more hostages,” he said. “… Hopefully now maybe there will be an opening to see more hostages coming back with the involvement of President Trump in the region.”
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