President Trump has used this language before. 

In the days before he became president, he said that if the hostages held by Hamas were not released by his inauguration on 20 January, “all hell will break out in the Middle East”.

They were not all released and many remain in captivity. But he managed to broker a ceasefire with the help of officials from the outgoing Biden administration. 

And so his threat dissolved in the jubilation of a pause in fighting and a transfer of some hostages in exchange for Palestinians being held in Israeli prisons. 

But the threat is back. The hard deadline of Saturday seems to be an attempt to short circuit the faltering three-phase ceasefire plan. 

It’s not at all clear what the consequence would be if Hamas does not comply. 

The difference this time seems to be that the onus is wholly on Hamas. Before the inauguration Israel too was being pushed to do its part in ensuring the ceasefire happened. 

Hamas is being forced by Trump to capitulate totally; release all the prisoners or else. And Israel now seems wholly emboldened by Trump to do what it needs to do.

Hamas has until Saturday to propose a counteroffer – “ok, we’ll release them all in exchange for x, y or z”. 

Let’s see how they respond, or if they respond. Maybe they can harness Trump’s “Palestinians must all leave Gaza” demand.

Could they carve out a concession from that? 

One key unknown is the extent to which Hamas thinks the president is bluffing. Whether or not he is a bluffer, they must know he is transactional. But with them?

All eyes will be on the White House over the hours ahead as King Abdullah of Jordan visits. 

There are so many moving parts, so many unknowns, so much stark language and at the centre of it all, a president who is keeping the world on edge. He’d have it no other way.