Hamas previously claimed that the group would not release any hostages on Saturday, in violation of the hostage-ceasefire deal.
US President Donald Trump said on Friday he would take a hard stance on Saturday on Gaza, the Palestinian enclave for which he has proposed a US takeover and where a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian Hamas terrorists is in place.
Hamas previously claimed that the group would not release any hostages on Saturday, in violation of the Gaza ceasefire-hostage deal agreement, alleging that Israel had violated the agreement.Â
Trump’s warning to Hamas
In response to Hamas’s threat, Trump warned that if hostages were not released by 12 p.m. on Saturday or he would “let all hell break loose.”
“If all the Gaza hostages aren’t returned by Saturday at 12 p.m., I would say cancel the ceasefire. Let all hell break loose; Israel can override it,” he said, noting that it was Israel’s decision.
“But as far as I’m concerned… I would say cancel it, and all bets are off,” he added. “All of them, not in drips and drabs, not two and one and three and four and two.”Â
Despite Hamas’s initial threat, the terror group is expected to release Sagui Dekel Chen, Alexander Sasha Troufanov and Iair Horn on Saturday.