‘All hell will break out,’ Trump warns if Israeli hostages are not freed by Saturday

US President Donald Trump on Monday warned that “all hell will break out” if Hamas does not release the remaining hostages by Saturday at 12 o’clock.

“Hamas will find out what I mean,” Trump stated when asked about possible retaliation if the hostages were not freed, during a news briefing in the Oval Office.

Of the 251 hostages taken by Hamas on October 7, 2023, 73 remain in captivity. Israel has declared 34 of them dead, while the rest were released through a six-week ceasefire deal in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody.

The most recent exchange occurred last Saturday, when Hamas released a group of hostages in exchange for 183 Palestinian prisoners.

The condition of those freed was described as “shocking” by Israel.

President Trump, during the briefing, compared their appearance to Holocaust survivors.

He suggested that Hamas released those in the “best condition” while keeping the others because “they’re not going to make them look very good.”

Issuing a firm deadline, Trump stated, “If all of the hostages aren’t returned by Saturday at 12 o’clock, all bets are off and let hell break out.”

“They ought to be returned by 12 o’clock on Saturday. And if they’re not returned, all of them—not in dribs and drabs, not two and one and three and four and two—then all hell is going to break out,” he declared.

However, Trump clarified that Israel could decide otherwise: “I’m speaking for myself. Israel can override it. But from myself, Saturday at 12 o’clock, and if they’re not here, all hell is going to break out.”

Trump is scheduled to meet Jordan’s King Abdullah II in Washington this week.

His warning came shortly after Egypt, in a meeting between Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, reiterated its rejection of any compromise that would infringe on Palestinian rights.