Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged President Donald Trump's efforts in securing the release of Gaza hostages, as Hamas freed six more Israelis on Saturday as part of an ongoing ceasefire deal. Rubio emphasized the importance of all remaining hostages being released immediately.
Today's release of six hostages in Gaza marks a significant step in the Phase I ceasefire agreement, with over 30 hostages already freed. However, there are still nearly twice as many hostages awaiting release.
The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, which began last month, included the agreement for the release of living hostages. Israel is expected to release 620 Palestinian detainees in return, but the process has been delayed due to additional security reviews.
The Biden administration and the Trump transition team both played roles in facilitating the ceasefire deal before Trump's inauguration, as confirmed by US and Israeli officials.
