Netanyahu will reportedly hold a security meeting at Trump’s deadline
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to convene a meeting at 12:00 p.m. eastern time on Saturday to discuss the remaining terms of the ceasefire agreement with Hamas, as confirmed by his spokesperson to Fox News. Netanyahu’s warning that Israel is preparing for what comes next with full intensity underscores the gravity of the situation, as reported by TPS-IL.
Earlier on Saturday, Hamas released three more hostages, including American citizen Sagui Dekel-Chen, after almost delaying their release indefinitely due to alleged ceasefire violations by Israel. The hostages, including Iair Horn and Sasha Troufanov, were taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz during Hamas’ attacks on October 7.
President Donald Trump had set a deadline of noon on Saturday for the release of all remaining hostages, threatening to cancel the ceasefire if Hamas failed to comply. In a statement, Trump emphasized that Israel should be prepared to take decisive action if the deadline was not met.
While it was initially unclear whether the deadline referred to 12 p.m. eastern or Israeli time, the timing of Netanyahu’s meeting indicates that Israel interpreted the deadline as 12 p.m. eastern time, which corresponds to 7 p.m. local time in Israel.
Hamas eventually released the hostages as planned on Saturday, in exchange for the release of more than 300 Palestinian prisoners as part of the ceasefire agreement with Israel. Trump, in a post on Truth Social, expressed support for Israel’s decision regarding further actions, stating that the United States would back their choice.
Last week, Trump expressed shock over the condition of the hostages released by Hamas, likening their appearance to Holocaust survivors. The ongoing ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, which commenced on January 19, involves the release of a total of 33 hostages by Hamas in exchange for the freedom of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
As tensions remain high and the delicate balance of the ceasefire hangs in the balance, the international community watches closely to see how the situation unfolds. The collaboration between Israel and the United States in addressing the hostage crisis underscores the importance of diplomatic efforts in resolving conflicts and maintaining peace in the region.
Rachel Wolf, a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and FOX Business, contributed to this article.
