After a tense standoff, Hamas finally released the three hostages who were due for release on February 15, as per the initial ceasefire agreement. This included an American captive, in exchange for 369 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Despite President Trump’s threats, experts noted that his comments had little impact on the eventual outcome. Guy Ziv, an associate professor at American University, stated that Hamas was not willing to release all hostages on Saturday regardless of the circumstances.
In a dramatic turn of events, Hamas also handed over the bodies of four Israeli hostages early on Thursday, although the Israel Defense Forces later clarified that one of the bodies did not belong to a hostage. The situation escalated when Hamas postponed the scheduled hostage release, accusing Israel of breaching the ceasefire terms.
Trump had previously issued a stern ultimatum, declaring that if all hostages were not returned by Saturday at noon, he would consider all bets off and unleash chaos. The President’s threats followed Hamas’s unexpected delay in the hostage release, citing alleged violations by Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted that all nine living Israeli hostages, meant to be released in Phase 1 of the ceasefire deal, should be freed promptly.
In the aftermath of the hostage release, Trump took to social media to emphasize that the next steps were in Israel’s hands. Meanwhile, Netanyahu highlighted the strong partnership and alignment of strategies between Israel and the United States, particularly in dealing with the crisis. The tense situation unfolded amidst discussions about Trump’s controversial Gaza plan and the potential implications of his statements regarding the region.
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During a briefing on Sunday, President Trump informed reporters that he had given Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu full authority in a recent situation. He explained that his initial statement had been motivated by concerns that the promised individuals would not be delivered. Trump praised the successful release of all hostages, including an American, following his statement. However, it was clarified that the hostages’ release was part of an existing ceasefire agreement, with American Sagui Dekel Chen released on February 15th.
National security advisor Mike Waltz echoed the president’s stance during a press conference, attributing the breakthrough to Trump’s strong message to Hamas. Despite Trump’s claims, expert Brian Katulis cautioned against taking his words as definitive, citing past remarks filled with “hot air.” Katulis pointed out that world leaders have learned to be wary of Trump’s statements, including his previous bold claims regarding conflicts such as the Russia-Ukraine war.
Trump had been issuing warnings to Hamas for several months, threatening severe consequences if the hostages were not released. His language was echoed by his aides and supporters, emphasizing the seriousness of his intentions. However, experts remained doubtful of the effectiveness of Trump’s coercive diplomacy, emphasizing that true threats come from military actions rather than verbal declarations.
In summary, while Trump’s rhetoric may convey a sense of unpredictability akin to Nixon’s “Madman Theory,” experts caution against overestimating the impact of his words and emphasize the importance of tangible actions in international relations.
“He vowed that nothing would hold him back from reaching his goals.” The headline “Trump warned of ‘all hell’ if Hamas did not release all its captives. What occurred?” was initially published on abcnews.go.com.
