President Donald Trump has issued a stark ultimatum to Hamas, warning that if all hostages are not released by noon on Saturday, he will push for the cancellation of the ceasefire in Gaza and allow Israel to take decisive action.
Speaking from the Oval Office after signing executive orders on Monday evening, Trump made it clear that he believes Hamas must release all captives immediately.
“If all the Gaza hostages aren’t returned by Saturday at 12 p.m., I would say cancel the ceasefire,” Trump stated. “Let all hell break out; Israel can override it.”
When asked whether the ceasefire should be revoked, Trump maintained that it was ultimately “Israel’s decision.”
The warning comes as Hamas has announced delays in the scheduled release of hostages, citing what it claims are Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement.
A Hamas spokesperson, Abu Obeida, accused Israel of failing to meet its obligations under the agreement, including delaying the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza, targeting civilians, and restricting humanitarian aid.
“Therefore, the release of the Zionist prisoners next Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025, will be postponed until further notice, and until the occupation commits to and provides compensation for the entitlements of the past weeks retroactively,” Obeida stated. “We reaffirm our commitment to the terms of the agreement, as long as the occupation remains committed to them.”
The ceasefire agreement, now in its sixth week, was designed to facilitate the release of hostages taken during Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. So far, five prisoner swaps have been carried out, resulting in the release of 21 hostages and over 730 Palestinian detainees. The next exchange was set to free three more Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
However, Hamas’ decision to halt the release of hostages has prompted strong reactions from Israeli officials. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz called it a “blatant violation” of the agreement, instructing the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to maintain high alert for potential escalations.
“I have instructed the IDF to maintain the highest level of readiness for any possible scenario in Gaza and to fortify the defense of Israeli communities. We will not allow a return to the reality of Oct. 7,” Katz stated.
Hamas recently released three visibly frail Israeli hostages—Eli Sharabi, 52; Or Levy, 34; and Ohad Ben Ami, 56—on Saturday, forcing them to speak at a handover ceremony before transferring them to Israel. In return, Israel freed 183 Palestinian prisoners that same day.
Trump, responding to the condition of the released hostages, expressed his outrage, likening their appearance to Holocaust survivors.
“They looked like Holocaust survivors,” Trump said. “Like they haven’t had a meal in a month.”
The former president warned that patience is wearing thin regarding the situation. “I don’t know how much longer we can take that,” he added. “You know, at some point, we’re gonna lose our patience.”
With tensions escalating, all eyes are now on Saturday’s deadline to see whether Hamas will comply—or if a renewed conflict is on the horizon.
Hamas/Israel politicians need to be slammed to return their hostages back to us. Thank you President Trump!