US President Donald Trump expressed skepticism that Hamas will meet the Saturday deadline to return Israeli hostages during a meeting with King Abdullah of Jordan at the White House. Trump stated, “I have a Saturday deadline, and I don’t think they’re going to make the deadline personally,” indicating his doubts about the militant group’s intentions. He added, “I think they want to play tough guy, but we’ll see how tough they are.”
Earlier, Trump had issued a warning that “hell” would breakout if Hamas failed to release all hostages by 12pm on Saturday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also made it clear that the Gaza ceasefire will end if Hamas does not comply with the hostage release deadline.
Hamas had originally planned to release three Israeli hostages this weekend, but announced on Monday that they would not do so due to alleged Israeli violations of the ceasefire. This decision has raised tensions and uncertainty surrounding the situation in Gaza.
The escalating standoff between Israel and Hamas has put the region on edge, with the US closely monitoring the developments. The outcome of this high-stakes deadline could have far-reaching implications for the prospects of peace in the region. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.
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