From Report: Netanyahu, cabinet unsure what Trump meant in comments on hostage release
Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his security cabinet were not sure exactly what US President Donald Trump meant by his statement that Hamas must free “all of the hostages” by Saturday at noon, and therefore sent out a series of vague messages after yesterday’s security cabinet meeting, Army Radio reports.
The forum couldn’t determine whether Trump meant all 76 remaining hostages in Gaza, or all of the hostages slated to be released in the first stage. Israeli statements after the meeting threatened a return to war if “our hostages” and “all of them” weren’t released. Another message said nine hostages had to be released “in the coming days” (of the 17 yet to be released under the current ceasefire phase, nine are known to be alive).
“We are in a situation where we can’t refuse to adopt [the positions of] Trump, and therefore the prime minister’s wording was convoluted,” one of the ministers tells Army Radio anonymously.
