Israel Demands Release of Hostages by Saturday or ‘Ceasefire Will End’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued an ultimatum to Hamas on Tuesday: Release the remaining hostages who are alive by noon Saturday or the ceasefire agreement will end. 

“If Hamas does not return our hostages by Saturday noon, the ceasefire will end, and the [Israel Defense Forces] will resume intense fighting until the final defeat of Hamas,” Netanyahu said in a post on X Tuesday.

The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is in phase one of three phases. During phase one, 33 hostages are to be released. Among the 17 still waiting to be released during the first six weeks of the deal, nine are believed to be alive.  

Netanyahu said his Security Cabinet met for four hours and made the decision to issue the ultimatum based upon the poor health of the three male hostages who were released on Feb. 8. All three of the men were very thin and weak upon their release.

Netanyahu said the decision to demand the release of the hostages by noon Saturday was “unanimous” among members of the Security Cabinet.

It is unclear if Netanyahu is demanding the release of all the living hostages still in Gaza or only the nine who are still expected to be released during the first phase of the ceasefire agreement.

The Israeli prime minister made the decree after Hamas announced on Monday the postponement of the next hostage release, which was expected Saturday. Hamas claimed that Israel had violated the terms of the ceasefire agreement.  

Hamas says it remains committed to the ceasefire, but postponed Saturday’s hostage release as a “warning” to Israel to uphold the terms of the deal.  

A spokesperson for Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz called Hamas’ action a “complete violation of the ceasefire agreement and the deal to release the hostages.” 

The prime minister’s remarks come less than 24 hours after President Donald Trump declared that if all the hostages were not released by noon Saturday, “let hell break out.”  

Sitting in the Oval Office Monday night, Trump said “all” the hostages should be returned by 12 p.m. Saturday instead of them being released “in dribs and drabs.” If Hamas does not comply with the deadline, “after that, I would say, all hell is going to break out,” he said.   

“We all welcomed President Trump’s demand to release our hostages by Saturday noon,” Netanyahu said in the thread of posts shared on X Tuesday.

Before his inauguration and the signing of the ceasefire agreement and hostage release deal between Hamas and Israel, Trump warned there would be “all hell to pay” if the hostages were not released by the time he was sworn in on Jan. 20. 

Israel and Hamas agreed in January to the terms of a three-part ceasefire. Since the start of the agreement, 16 Israeli hostages have been released, including Israeli American hostage Keith Siegel. Israeli American hostages Edan Alexander, 21, and Sagui Dekel-Chen, 36, remain in captivity.  

Before Netanyahu’s announcement Tuesday and Trump’s latest comments on the hostages release, Adi Alexander, the father of Edan Alexander, told The Daily Signal he hoped for an expedited release of all the hostages.  

“I mean, if we can squeeze all those releases in two weeks, that will be ideal for us,” Adi Alexander said.  

Edan Alexander grew up in New Jersey and was serving in the Israel Defense Forces when he was taken hostage on Oct. 7, 2023. Being male and a soldier in the IDF, he is expected to be among the final hostages released.  

There are 73 hostages still being held in Gaza, at least 34 of whom are dead, according to Israel.  

“I’m seeing all the releases now, all the hostages that are coming back, and they look OK, and they’re smiling, and they’re hugging their families, and I’m crying when I see them, and I’m just waiting for our moment with Edan,” Yael Alexander, Edan Alexander’s mother, said. 

When her son is finally released, Yael Alexander says she will probably “cry hysterically.”  

“It’s going to be a relief,” she said, adding she will be able to “breathe for the first time in a long time” when her son is set free. “So yeah, we are hoping that Trump is going to be tough and strong and he’s going to make it happen.”  

Gal Gilboa-Dalal’s little brother, Guy Gilboa-Dalal, is also a hostage in Gaza. Gal Gilboa-Dalal told The Daily Signal he is thankful for Trump: “We can really feel his support and how he’s been helping with everything that’s going on with the hostages.”

He continued, “You could clearly see that the day he started his new role as president, the first hostages started to return again. And yes, we hope that this deal could last and that we can get to phase two and see all the hostages returned.”  

The hostages “don’t have time,” Ilay David said. David’s little brother, Evyatar, was taken hostage with Guy Gilboa-Dalal at the Nova Music Festival on Oct. 7, 2023.  

“As our leaders try to find a solution, those people can die,” David told The Daily Signal, adding, “We have to save them as soon as possible.” 

Editor’s Note: This piece was updated after publication to include the response from Hamas. 

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