Hamas Responds to Deadline Set by Donald Trump for the Release of 'All Hostages'

A senior official of the terrorist group Hamas reacted to the deadline for the release of 'all hostages' set by the U.S. President yesterday, stating, 'The language of threats has no value and only complicates the situation.' Sami Abu Zuhri, a senior Hamas official, said in an interview with Reuters that the only way to return Israeli hostages is 'to respect the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.' He emphasized, 'Trump should remember that there is an agreement that must be respected by both sides, and this is the only way to return the hostages. The language of threats has no value and only complicates the situation.' These remarks came after Donald Trump, the President of the United States, warned that if the Israeli hostages are not released by Saturday according to the ceasefire plan, 'hell will break loose.' Hamas has delayed the release of hostages and accused Israel of violating the ceasefire conditions. Following the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, Hamas was supposed to release a number of Israeli hostages in exchange for the release of several Palestinian prisoners by Israel. However, Hamas announced yesterday that it has halted the process of releasing hostages due to what it considers a violation of the ceasefire by Israel. Under the ceasefire agreement, Hamas is committed to releasing a number of Israeli hostages as it has done on the past three Saturdays in exchange for the release of several Palestinian prisoners from Israel. In response to this action, Donald Trump threatened that if all Israeli hostages are not released by noon on Saturday, 'hell will break loose,' and he will call for an end to the ceasefire. Trump stated to reporters at the White House, 'By Saturday at 12, we want all of them back. I speak for myself; Israel can cancel it. But for myself, by Saturday at 12, if they are not back, hell will break loose.' The U.S. President, on Sunday, after seeing images of three hostages released from Hamas captivity, declared that his 'patience' regarding the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas has run out. He said the released hostages resemble 'Holocaust survivors' because they have been in a 'terrible condition.' Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, also called on Hamas to continue the planned release of hostages a day after the Palestinian group announced its intention to stop the exchange of hostages for prisoners. He stated, 'We must avoid at all costs the resumption of hostilities in Gaza, which would lead to a 'great tragedy.' These tensions continue as families of hostages in Israel anxiously await the release of their loved ones, and the international community calls for restraint and continued negotiations to resolve this crisis.