Trump Condemns Hamas for Releasing Malnourished and Abused Hostages, ‘We’re Going to Lose Our Patience’
The release of three Israeli hostages by Hamas over the weekend sparked outrage due to the captives' poor health conditions, including malnutrition and heart disorders. The three hostages, Ohad Ben-Ami, Or Levy, and Eli Sharabi, were led up to a stage, reciting a propaganda message by Hamas before being released to the Red Cross. The ceremony also included Gazan women giving Hamas candy. The release of the Israeli captives was met with backlash due to their frail physical condition, as seen by before-and-after photos from the three men posted to social media.
No access to sunlight, starved, and frail. Israeli hostages released from captivity today. May we all get moral clarity and stop believing the lies. I’m praying for their recovery 😢 pic.twitter.com/hr45UE2NjF
— Real Housewives Chat (@rosachats) February 8, 2025
"It's absolutely heartbreaking. I mean, don't get me wrong. Our heart was full of joy to see them coming back home. But it was absolutely heartbreaking to see how they've been treated – seeing on their face the hell they've been through, being starved, being abused," Israel's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sharren Miriam Haskel-Harpaz told CBN News.
"Knowing how the international community, the United Nations organization, have failed the Israelis – they have failed the Jews over and over again," she claimed.
Haskel also blamed the Red Cross, "who did not fight to visit them, to look after them, to provide them the medications they needed or the help, the medical treatment they needed."
President Donald Trump likewise issued a statement regarding the hostages' poor condition.
"They were in horrible condition. They were emaciated. It looked like many years ago, the Holocaust survivors. I don't know how much longer we can take that," he stated.
"You know, at some point," the president continued, "we're going to lose our patience."
Speaking to the BBC, Israeli President Isaac Herzog noted the men were kept in tunnels throughout their entire captivity. According to medical authorities, the former hostages are suffering from malnutrition and heart disorders.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu contended that Hamas will pay for their mistreatment of the captives.
"We have again seen the monsters of Hamas. These are the same monsters who slaughtered our citizens and abused our hostages. I say to them again: They will pay the price."
The release of the hostages comes as the second phase of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, which includes Hamas leaders going into exile, their military disarming, and releasing all of the remaining hostages.
Hamas, however, will likely agree to these conditions, especially the release of the remaining hostages. Meanwhile, the militant group's chief demand is that Israel would end the war and remove all of its troops from Gaza.
Last week, Trump proposed that the U.S. would take over Gaza and rebuild it as the "Riviera" of the Middle East. He added last weekend that he is willing to have others take part in the deal.
"We may give it to other states in the Middle East to build sections of it. Other people may do it through our auspices, "he said. "But we're committed to owning it, taking it, and making sure that Hamas doesn't move back. There's nothing to move back into. The place is a demolition site."
Photo Credit: ©X/Real Housewives Chat
Originally published February 10, 2025.
