Three Israeli hostages were released today by Hamas after all. Earlier this week, Hamas announced the hostages would not be released because of alleged Israeli violations of the ceasefire deal.
President Trump responded by demanding Hamas release all hostages by noon today although he added that he would go along with Israel was prepared to accept.
Naturally, Trump took credit for today's release and took a dig at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who he said should have a taken a harder line. Yet it was Trump who agreed to the framework of the deal. So he cannot have his cake and eat it too.
I doubt Trump's words had much impact on Hamas, an organization which specializes in murder, mayhem, and martyrdom. Hamas likes to play games and I have no doubt they will do so again.
Indeed there was some gamesmanship afoot when Sagui Dekel-Chen, Iair Horn and Sasha Troufanov were released. Hamas gave Horn an hourglass bearing the name of hostage Matan Zangauker and his mother Einav with the message, "Time is running out." Hamas also had a message for Trump regarding his Gaza scheme - "No migration except to Jerusalem."
Nevertheless, the 3 men are free. Dekel-Chen came home to the news his third daughter was born 2 months into his captivity. Unfortunately, Troufanov was greeted with the news his father had been murdered by Hamas on October 7th. Meanwhile, Horn's brother Eitan is still being held by Hamas with his fate unknown.
As for Trump, one should not be surprised that he made today about himself. After all, when he stood on stage with former hostage Noa Argamani and hostage families on the day he was inaugurated, when he spoke of hostages he spoke of January 6th, not October 7th.
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