Former U.S. President Donald Trump compared the recently released Israeli hostages to Holocaust survivors, describing them as “emaciated” and in “horrible condition.” Speaking aboard Air Force One on his way to the Super Bowl, he warned, “At some point, we’re gonna lose our patience.”
The hostages, Eli Sharabi, Or Levy, and Ohad Ben Ami, were freed under the ongoing ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas but appeared visibly frail. Trump criticized their treatment, saying they looked like they had aged decades in captivity.
The remarks come amid uncertainty over the ceasefire’s continuation and the fate of the remaining 73 hostages in Gaza. Trump also reaffirmed his controversial proposal for the U.S. to take control of Gaza after Palestinian residents leave or are removed, suggesting that other Middle Eastern nations could help rebuild the territory.
The Israel-Hamas war began on October 7, 2023, with a Hamas-led attack on Israel that left 1,200 dead and 251 taken hostage. The ceasefire deal, implemented in January 2025, aims to secure hostage releases in exchange for Palestinian prisoner releases and a potential Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
