TRUMP: RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW...

"I am sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job, not a single Hamas member will be safe if you don't do as I say."

"For the leadership, now is the time to leave Gaza, while you still have a chance. "

"Also, to the People of Gaza: A beautiful Future awaits, but not if you hold Hostages. If you do, you are DEAD!"

"Make a SMART decision. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW, OR THERE WILL BE HELL TO PAY LATER!" 

"Release all of the Hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you. Only sick and twisted people keep bodies, and you are sick and twisted!"

U.S. President Donald J. Trump

President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, March 4, 2025.   Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP

"The enemy's leadership is trying to evade the agreement as the Prime Minister prioritizes political interests over the lives of his captives. The occupier continues to seek an American green light to escalate its aggression against our people."

"Israeli threats of war will bring them nothing but failure and will not lead to the release of their captives."

"We warn the families of Israeli captives that we still hold proof of life for those who remain alive. We are fully prepared for all possible scenarios."

"Any escalation of aggression against our people will result in the killing of enemy captives."

"The enemy has resorted to bullying, stalling, and reckless aggression. The enemy's threats are a sign of weakness and humiliation."

 Abu Ubaida, military spokesman, Hamas Al-Qassam Brigades

Relatives and supporters of Israelis held hostage in the Gaza Strip by Palestinian militants since October 2023, lift placards during a rally calling on the government for a deal that would bring all the remaining captives back, outside the prime minister residence in Jerusalem on March 2, 2025.

Menahem Kahana/AFP via Getty Images

 

U.S. President Donald Trump's latest ultimatums have come and gone. Raising hopes within Israel that his threats against Hamas would sufficiently intimidate them to release their hostages from the hell finally of tunnel incarcerations, hunger, psychological torture, the physical toll of being tightly manacled day and night, the utter lack of breathable air, the absence of sun and daylight, and swiftly faltering health. The Hamas leadership responds to President Trump's threats with a show of unconcern; after all what could he possibly do to reach them...they're securely sheltered in Qatar, perhaps Turkey as well. Their terrorist troops are as expendable as is the Palestinian civilian population; there are always more to be had to replace them.

 

And so, the latest threat issued by the American president has come and gone. What will he do? What CAN he do? We remain to be informed not verbally but through responsive action that throws weight behind the words. The "best path to free the remaining Israeli hostages", Hamas spokesman Abdel-Latif al-Qanoua needled both the prime minister and the president, American and Israeli, is through negotiations on the completion of the first phase of the agreement on prisoner/hostage exchanges, then to go on to the second phase for which only limited preparatory talks have so far been completed.

 

Mr. Trump's 'last warning' was issued on Wednesday, following a meeting at the White House with eight released hostages. The White House revelation of its direct discussions with Hamas has been questioned; its popularity with the Israeli Cabinet has not been of the highest order. Of the hostages still held by Hamas, 24 are thought to be still alive from the time they were taken hostage during the October 7, 2023 invasion of southern Israel, an event that will live on in sadistic infamy for its rape, mutilation and slaughter of mostly Israeli citizens by thousands of Hamas, PIJ, and PFLP terrorist operatives.

 

That ordinary Palestinian citizens flooded through into Israel from Gaza after the terrorist horde, to take part in the bloody mayhem and destruction of farming villages and kibbutzim, as well as the violent abduction of children, the elderly, foreign farm workers, Israeli soldiers and girls and women is well enough known, along with the fact that the greater preponderance of Palestinians, both in Gaza and the West Bank under Hamas and Fatah respectively are in full support of the events of October 7.

 

Apart from the estimated number of still-living hostages, an additional 34 others who had been killed in the attack, or while in captivity are awaiting reunion with their families and a burial in Israel. Bodies of eight hostages and 24 living hostages were released under the agreement between Israel and Hamas, in exchange for close to two thousand Palestinian prisoners in the first 42-day phase of the ceasefire, ending Saturday. When Hamas cynically and cruelly delivered the stunned and starving Israelis with the pomp and ceremony of a victory reminiscent of Roman-era processions of captured leaders of rebellions.

Israeli hostages, from left, Eliya Cohen, Omer Shem Tov and Omer Wenkert display Hamas-issued certificates while they stand with Hamas militants on a stage in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, before being handed over to the Red Cross on Saturday. (Abdel Kareem Hana/The Associated Press)

A new U.S. plan for the second phase which would have Hamas release half of the remaining hostages immediately, the remainder when a permanent ceasefire is negotiated, has the approval of Israel, but Hamas has seen fit to reject the proposal on the grounds that it remains committed to the January agreement. The Trump administration pledged full support for Israel's accomplishing its war goals to achieve the final release of all the hostages. After which it plans to get on with its intention of eradicating Hamas in its entirety.

 

Egypt plans to host an international conference for the purpose of raising funds for a Gaza reconstruction plan proposed at the Arab Summit in Cairo. In cooperation with the United Nations, the conference goal is to secure financial pledges for the US$53 billion, five-year plan of reconstruction at the Arab League Summit in Cairo this week. In cooperation with the United Nations, the conference plans to secure financial pledges for the US$53 billion, five-year plan.

 

Demonstrators hold photos depicting the faces of Israeli hostages who are being held in the Gaza Strip, during a protest demanding their release from Hamas captivity, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Thursday, March 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

 

Destruction in Gaza Represents Hamas 'Victory'

 

"According to information provided by the Red Cross, seven hostages, including an Israeli male and female hostage and five foreign nationals, were handed over to it and are making their way to the IDF and [Israel Security Agency] forces in the Gaza Strip."

"[The seven returnees have] now crossed the border into Israeli territory with IDF and ISA forces."

Israeli military report  Jan30.25

Arbel Yehoud, 29, held hostage by Hamas in Gaza since October 7, 2023, surrounded by Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists as she is handed over to the Red Cross in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday Jan. 30, 2025. Photo by Abdel Kareem Hana/AP

Chaos reigned with the release yesterday of three more Israeli hostages and five Thai farm workers who were also taken hostage during the invasion on October 7, 2023 in southern Israel of thousands of Palestinian terrorists led by Hamas. The Thursday handover saw masked Hamas gunmen in uncomfortably close proximity to the hostages as they prepared to hand them over to the International Committee of he Red Cross for transfer to the Israel Defense Forces. Surrounding the terrorists were thousands of raucous, threatening Palestinian men shouting abuse at Arbel Yehound as she was on the cusp of freedom.

Seven of the eight hostages were released symbolically in front of the destroyed home of Gaza's Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar, killed in an IDF bombing raid months ago. This gesture was named by the Hamas leadership as a "message of determination", no doubt linked to their having declared 'victory' and a resumption of their control and governance of Gaza with the declaration of the temporary ceasefire which they demand be made permanent on the condition of releasing the remaining 90-some-odd hostages still in their hands, a third of whom are no longer living.

 

Female Israeli soldier Agam Berger surrounded by Hamas terrorists as she is released as part of an agreement between Israel and Hamas during a temporary ceasefire.  Reuters

 

Agam Berger, age 20, the first hostage to be released, had been paraded before a crowd in the largely destroyed urban Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza. A demonstration of Hamas power; a young Israeli soldier on lookout duty at the Gaza border with Israel. The other seven were released in Khan Younis where hundreds of Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists in a convoy delivered the hostages, amongst thousands of Palestinians who had assembled to witness the exchange.

Palestinian civilians rushed to crowd around the hostages, hemming them within a flood of threatening menace. Hostage Arbel Yehoud appeared stunned as she was hustled through the shouting mob by masked terrorists. Gadi Moses, 80-year-old Israeli, and Thai farm labourers were also guided through the throngs of Palestinians shouting abuse, to the waiting ICRC vehicles. 

Soon afterward Israel released the agreed-upon 110 Palestinian prisoners whose freedom included 30 serving life sentences for deadly attacks against Israelis; seven of whom were permitted return to the West Bank, the rest transferred to Egypt prior to further deportation. Former leader of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, Zakaria Zabeidi, flashed a victory sign. He had been convicted of terror offences involved in the deaths of 6 Israelis.

Dozens of hostages remain in the hands of the Palestinian terrorists, many held by Palestinian civilians in concert with Hamas. The ceasefire arranged for the distinct purpose of freeing Israelis and others from Hamas captivity occasioned an opportunity for Hamas to declare a great victory over Israel. Returning Gazans hoping to resume their normal lives in their residences may feel when they finally view the wreckage of all that was once familiar to them, as not much of a victory and perhaps lead them to consider Hamas's victory their personal disaster.

 

Reacting to hostage release agreement ... Reuters