Trump lauds latest hostage release, says US will support Israel's decision on ceasefire
President Trump on Saturday celebrated the latest hostage release, when Hamas freed the last living Israeli American from captivity in Gaza, but warned the Palestinian militant group that the U.S. will support Israel's decision on whether the fragile ceasefire continues.
“Hamas has just released three Hostages from GAZA, including an American Citizen. They seem to be in good shape!" Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. "This differs from their statement last week that they would not release any Hostages."
“Israel will now have to decide what they will do about the 12:00 O’CLOCK, TODAY, DEADLINE imposed on the release of ALL HOSTAGES," he continued. "The United States will back the decision they make."
Three more hostages were released in Khan Yunis in the latest exchange, including Israeli Argentinian Iair Horn, 46, Israeli American Sagui Dekel Chen, 36, and Russian-Israeli Alexander (Sasha) Troufanov. In return, Israel is set to free 369 Palestinian prisoners, including a number of those who served life sentences.
Saturday's release marks the sixth complete exchange since the pause in fighting began on Jan. 19.
Hamas, a designated terrorist organization by the U.S., threatened to delay the release of Israeli hostages earlier this week, and accused the Jewish state of violating the terms of the fragile ceasefire. The group said Monday that the violations were “delaying the return of the displaced to the northern Gaza Strip, targeting them with shelling and gunfire in various areas of the Strip, and not allowing the entry of relief supplies in all their forms according to what was agreed upon.”
Trump then issued a warning to the group, pressing them to release the remaining hostages held in the Strip by noon local time or he would end the brittle ceasefire. He claimed at the time that “all hell is going to break out” if they are not freed.
In line with the U.S. president, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also cautioned the militant group that the temporary truce in Gaza would be shattered and Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), which he ordered to amass in and around the war-torn enclave, would restart their fight until Hamas is eviscerated.
“The decision I passed in the Cabinet unanimously is as follows: If Hamas does not return our hostages by Saturday noon, the ceasefire will end, and the IDF will resume intense combat until Hamas is decisively defeated,” Netanyahu said Tuesday.
Hamas did confirm on Thursday that it would go ahead with freeing the three hostages. It is unclear if the rest of the captives held in Gaza will be released later Saturday.
Israel and Hamas are in the first phase of the three-phase ceasefire that is slated to last for six weeks. The terms of the second phase, where more Palestinian prisoners are meant to be freed, have not been brokered entirely.
Topics
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