Trump Pledges Support for Israel's Actions Against Hamas if Hostage Release Deadline is Missed

Trump Criticizes Hamas for Failing to Meet Hostage Release Deadline, Pledges Support for Israel

US President Donald Trump condemned Hamas for not meeting his noon deadline to release all hostages after the Palestinian militant group freed only three captives instead. Taking to his Truth Social platform, Trump emphasized that the decision now lies with Israel, pledging full US support for any action Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chooses to take.

“Hamas has just released three hostages from Gaza, including an American citizen. They seem to be in good shape! This contradicts their statement last week that they would not release any hostages,” Trump posted. “Israel will now have to decide what they will do about the 12:00 PM deadline imposed for the release of ALL HOSTAGES. The United States will back the decision they make!”

Despite earlier threats to withhold captives, Hamas unexpectedly released three hostages on Saturday: Alexander Sasha Troufanov, Sagui Dekel Chen (a US-Israeli citizen), and Iair Horn. The releases came amid a fragile ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, which began on January 19 and was intended to facilitate the exchange of hostages for prisoners held by Israel.

Netanyahu’s Warning

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier echoed Trump’s demand, warning Hamas that failure to release all hostages by Saturday noon would result in the end of the ceasefire. “If Hamas does not return our hostages by Saturday noon, the ceasefire will end, and the IDF will resume intense fighting until Hamas is decisively defeated,” Netanyahu stated earlier in the week, adding that the decision had unanimous support from Israel’s cabinet.

Trump’s Hardline Stance

Earlier this week, Trump issued an ultimatum, urging Israel to abandon its ceasefire deal with Hamas if all hostages were not released by the Saturday deadline. “As far as I’m concerned if all of the hostages aren’t returned by Saturday at 12 o’clock – I think it’s an appropriate time – I would say cancel it, and all bets are off. Let hell break out. I’d say they ought to be returned by 12 o’clock on Saturday... And after that, I would say, all hell is going to break out,” Trump warned on Monday.

The ceasefire, which aimed to de-escalate tensions and facilitate hostage exchanges, now hangs in the balance as Hamas failed to meet the deadline. With Trump’s strong backing, Israel is expected to take decisive action, potentially resuming military operations against Hamas.

Background

The conflict between Israel and Hamas escalated following a deadly attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, which resulted in numerous casualties and hostages being taken. The ceasefire agreement brokered with international mediation, was seen as a temporary measure to ease tensions and allow for humanitarian efforts. However, the failure to release all hostages has reignited fears of renewed violence.

As the situation unfolds, the international community remains on edge, with the US firmly supporting Israel’s next steps. The coming days will be critical in determining whether the ceasefire can be salvaged or if the region will witness a return to full-scale conflict.