LONDON — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will convene his political-security cabinet “as soon as possible” to decide “Israel’s next steps” shortly after President Donald Trump’s noon deadline for Hamas to release all remaining hostages passed.
“The combination of the reinforcement of IDF forces around the Gaza Strip and President Trump’s assertive stance led to the release of three of our hostages today – despite Hamas’s earlier refusal to release them. The Prime Minister also appreciates the President’s full support for Israel’s decisions regarding the Gaza Strip going forward,” Netanyahu said in a statement.
Earlier this week, Hamas claimed that Israel was not holding up its end of the ceasefire agreement by delaying the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza, targeting them with gunfire and slowing down aid and said the hostage-prisoner exchange would be postponed. It later said the exchange will take place as planned.
Hamas militants released three more Israeli hostages on Saturday as part of the ceasefire agreement.
Trump issued a statement on Saturday warning of the noon deadline he set for the release of all hostages being held in Gaza and said he will leave it up to Israel to decide whether they will violate the ceasefire and continue fighting.
“Israel will now have to decide what they will do about the 12:00 O’CLOCK, TODAY, DEADLINE imposed on the release of ALL HOSTAGES. The United States will back the decision they make!” Trump wrote in a post on his social media platform.
The three hostages freed from captivity are U.S. national Sagui Dekel Chen, Iair Horn and Sasha Troufanov, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.
The returning hostages crossed the border Saturday into Israeli territory and made their way to an initial reception point in southern Israel, where they were reunited with their families.
In exchange for Hamas releasing three more Israeli hostages, Israel began freeing another 369 Palestinian prisoners on Saturday, most of whom were arrested in the Gaza Strip after the terror attack on Oct. 7, 2023.
“Three returning hostages are currently being accompanied by IDF special forces and ISA forces on their return to Israeli territory, where they will undergo an initial medical assessment,” the joint statement said. “The commanders and soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces salute and embrace the returning hostages as they make their way home to the State of Israel. The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit asks everyone to respect the privacy of the returning hostages and their families.”
IDF officers from the Personnel Directorate and IDF medical officials are accompanying the returning hostages. The families of the hostages are currently waiting at the hospital and are being updated by IDF officials with the latest available information.
“We have prepared for their return and, together with the families, we will assist in their rehabilitation after the long and torturous days in captivity,” read a statement from the Israeli prime minister’s office. “This week, Hamas also tried to violate the agreement and create a fake crisis with false claims. Thanks to the concentration of our forces in and around the Strip, and thanks to President Trump’s clear and unequivocal statement, Hamas backed down and the release of the hostages continued. We are working in full coordination with the United States with the goal of rescuing all of our hostages – alive and dead – as quickly as possible, and are preparing with full force to continue, in all respects.”
A bus carrying some of the released Palestinian prisoners arrived in Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where they were greeted by a cheering crowd. Some were seen being whisked away by ambulances to a local hospital.
Of the 369 Palestinians freed on Saturday, 333 had been arrested in the Gaza Strip and held in Israeli prisons following the Hamas-led terror attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Those 333 will be returned to Gaza following their release on Saturday. Of the other 36, some will be released in the West Bank and others will be released in Gaza, Israeli officials said.
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Israel on Saturday and was met by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
This story has been updated with the official names of the hostages, per the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.
ABC News’ Nasser Atta and Dana Savir contributed to this report.
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