President Donald Trump made a statement on Friday regarding the ongoing situation between Israel and Hamas, following his earlier remarks urging Israel to take a tough stance if Hamas did not release all hostages by Saturday at noon. Trump expressed uncertainty about the outcome as the deadline approached, stating that he would personally take a firm stance but was unsure of Israel's actions.
Trump mentioned that there had been a shift in Hamas' position, noting that their posture had 'totally changed.' He indicated that Hamas now seemed willing to release the hostages, contrasting with their previous threat to delay the release due to alleged ceasefire violations by Israel.
While Trump did not definitively outline his expectations for the situation at the deadline, he emphasized that the actions of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, commonly referred to as 'Bibi,' and Israel as a whole would play a crucial role in determining the next steps.
The president's comments came amidst escalating tensions between Israel and Hamas, with the latter initially threatening to postpone the hostage release before later confirming their intention to proceed with the planned release over the weekend.
