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Former President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to Hamas, declaring that if all Israeli hostages are not liberated from Gaza by noon on Saturday, there will be severe consequences. In comments made to the media, Trump alluded to unspecified actions, stating, “You’ll find out, and they’ll find out too. Hamas will find out what I mean,” while emphasizing that the decision to conclude the ceasefire ultimately rests with Israel.
Trump’s remarks came during a session in which he was signing executive orders at the White House. The rhetoric surrounding the hostage negotiations marks a significant escalation in the already tense situation.
On the same day, Hamas announced a postponement of the upcoming hostage release, initially set for Saturday. A spokesperson for the organization accused Israeli forces of breaching the ceasefire by conducting airstrikes against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. According to Abu Obeida, the spokesperson for Hamas’ military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, the violations included hindering the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza and obstructing humanitarian aid as previously arranged.
In response, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz characterized Hamas’ decision to delay the hostage release as a “complete violation” of the established ceasefire. He urged the Israeli military to maintain the highest state of alert. Furthermore, the Israeli government’s coordinator for hostage affairs reassured that Israel intends to honor its commitments under the ceasefire agreement.
The ongoing six-week ceasefire involves the exchange of dozens of hostages taken during the October 7, 2023 terrorist attack in return for approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. As Trump reiterated on Monday, the planned release on Saturday—which was to include three hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian detainees—should encompass all remaining hostages rather than a piecemeal approach. “I’d say they ought to be returned by 12 o’clock on Saturday,” Trump remarked, calling for the release of all hostages simultaneously.
Since the ceasefire commenced, there have been five exchanges resulting in the freedom of 18 hostages, including dual U.S.-Israeli citizen Keith Siegel, alongside more than 730 Palestinian prisoners. However, concerns arose following the most recent exchange on February 8, during which three male hostages were reported to be in severely malnourished conditions, leading the Hostages and Missing Families Forum to describe their ordeal as “hell itself.”
Negotiations for a subsequent phase of the ceasefire—facilitated by the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt—have already begun. However, Trump’s recent suggestion that the U.S. could consider “taking over” Gaza may have complicated these discussions. Although some support for this concept has emerged from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration, it has sparked widespread condemnation from various nations globally, including those neighboring Israel, particularly regarding the idea of relocating Gaza’s populace.
Crisis in the Middle East
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