President Donald Trump speaks to reporters next to Air Force One after arriving back at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
Trump says that the U.S. is “going to lose our patience” if Hamas abuse of captives continues.
By World Israel News Staff
President Donald J. Trump acknowledged the poor condition of recently released Israeli hostages on Sunday, saying that they resembled Holocaust survivors and that Hamas was testing the U.S.’s patience by mistreating captives.
Speaking to the media aboard Air Force One, Trump said he was concerned by the apparent starvation endured by Or Levy, Ohad Ben-Ami, and Eli Sharabi, who were released on Saturday by the terror group.
“They were in horrible condition, they were emaciated, and I don’t know how much longer we can take that,” Trump said.
The three Israelis “look like they haven’t had a meal in a month,” Trump continued, adding that they are “people that were healthy people a reasonably short number of years ago, and you look at them today, they look like they’ve aged 25 years. They literally look like the old pictures of Holocaust survivors, the same thing. No reason for that.”
Trump appeared to imply that Hamas’s abuse of hostages could potentially endanger the ceasefire agreement.
The hostages “are in really bad shape. They have been treated brutally, horribly,” he said.
Referencing captives who were released earlier in the deal, Trump notes that even as “they were in a little bit better shape [physically,] but mentally they were treated so badly. Who could take that?”
“You know, at some point, we’re gonna lose our patience,” he added.
The condition of Israeli hostages released in the deal has become progressively worse as the ceasefire continues.
The first few batches of hostages freed appeared to be in relatively good health, but the last two weeks have seen the release of captives who are visibly starved.
Negotiations for the next phase of the ceasefire and hostage exchange deal are currently ongoing in Qatar.
During that stage, the Israeli army is expected to commit to a full withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, along with the release of thousands of convicted terrorists from prison.
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