Trump notes progress in hostage deal talks, says Hamas ‘nasty group’

By Reuters and Jacob Magid

You will receive email alerts from this author. Manage alert preferences on your profile page

You will no longer receive email alerts from this author. Manage alert preferences on your profile page

10 April 2025, 9:08 pm 7 Edit

US President Donald Trump, alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio (L) and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (R), during a cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House on April 10, 2025, in Washington. (Brendan Smialowski / AFP)

WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump says progress is being made regarding the return of the hostages being held in Gaza and that he was dealing with both Israel and Hamas, but he gave no other details about the talks.

“We’re getting close to getting them back,” Trump tells reporters at a cabinet meeting,

“A lot came back. A lot of people are very grateful. Some came back in pretty bad shape. They’re okay. I think they’re going to be scarred mentally for a long time because if you sit down and talk to them, as I have, what they went through is incredible,” he says.

“But we’re making progress,” he adds. “We’re dealing with Israel, we’re dealing with Hamas, and it’s a nasty group.”