After nearly 500 days in captivity, three Israeli hostages - including an American dual citizen, were released by Hamas on Saturday, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians freed from Israeli prisons.
They include American-Israeli Sagui Dekel-Chen, Russian-Israeli Alexandre Troufanov and Argentinian-Israeli Iair Horn. They were freed in a handover ceremony amid a crowd of Hamas militants and supporters in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis in the sixth such exchange of the ceasefire.
"There’s no place like home," Dekel-Chen was heard telling medical staff, after being handed over to the Red Cross. Various reports said the freed looked healthier than the last hostages let go, who were very emaciated and gaunt.
But President Trump quickly chimed in after this latest exchange, saying that all Israeli captives must be released from Gaza today.
"Hamas has just released three Hostages from GAZA, including an American Citizen. They seem to be in good shape! This differs from their statement last week that they would not release any Hostages," he wrote on Truth Social account.
The statement added, "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. The United States will back the decision they make!"
This timeline has now come and gone. Trump previously warned (Monday) that all "hell" would break out if all captives aren't freed by noon. But he seems to have backed off this language Saturday, saying instead Washington is ready to "back" whatever future action Israel takes.
But it seems Trump gave Netanyahu political cover to break the ceasefire - though who knows what parallel messages might be being communicated behind the scenes by the White House and US diplomats.
Hamas sends mother of hostage Matan Zangauker an hourglass plaque captioned 'Time is running out'
— Global Nexus (@NexusGlobal01) February 15, 2025
Sent to her with released Iair Horn, who is made to display it on stage#Hamas #Israel pic.twitter.com/JwVSYHTlm0
Israeli army chief Herzi Halevi said Saturday it remains his and the military's "duty to bring everyone back" and the IDF is "investing in many efforts for this purpose, and at the same time, we are preparing offensive plans."
As for the Palestinians freed on Saturday, one told Al Jazeera, "The Israelis told us to ‘Welcome to hell.’ It was a hell," he said. "From the first day, we were beaten badly. The beatings were brutal, tough and unbearable."
