From the Liveblog of
Saturday, February 15, 2025
After Hamas didn’t meet Trump’s ultimatum, Netanyahu cagey on what Israel will do
Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
After Hamas freed 3 hostages today — seemingly less than what some Israeli officials demanded in recent days — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office releases a vague statement that gives no indication of what Israel will do next.
Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump said that if Hamas doesn’t release all 76 hostages it was holding by Saturday at noon, Israel was free to renew the fighting and unleash “hell” on the Palestinian terror group. That ultimatum — assuming it was noon in Washington, DC — passed just over an hour ago.
Netanyahu “appreciates the [US] president’s full support for Israel’s decisions regarding the Gaza Strip going forward,” says the Prime Minister’s Office.
“The Prime Minister will convene the security cabinet as soon as possible to decide on Israel’s next steps,” says the statement.
Israeli officials last week demanded the release of “our hostages,” 9 hostages “in the coming days,” and “all of them.”
Netanyahu “highly appreciates” Trump’s leadership, says his office, and the ongoing coordination with the United States.
“The combination of the reinforcement of IDF forces around the Gaza Strip and President Trump’s firm stance led to the release of three of our hostages today — despite Hamas’s earlier refusal to release them,” boasts the PMO.
