OAN Staff Blake Wolf
10:43 AM – Monday, August 18, 2025
President Donald Trump asserted on Monday that “confronting and destroying” Hamas altogether is the only way to secure the release of the remaining Israeli hostages.
The U.S. president seemingly backed Prime Minister Netanyahu’s plan to invade Gaza City — applying more pressure on Hamas.
“We will only see the return of the remaining hostages when Hamas is confronted and destroyed!!! The sooner this takes place, the better the chances of success will be. Remember, I was the one who negotiated and got hundreds of hostages freed and released into Israel (and America!),” Trump wrote.
Advertisement“I was the one who ended 6 wars, in just 6 months. I was the one who OBLITERATED Iran’s Nuclear facilities. Play to WIN, or don’t play at all! Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DJT.”
Meanwhile, approximately 300,000 Israelis attended a protest in Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square on Sunday, demanding that the government secure an agreement to free the remaining hostages. Additionally, in all, over 2.5 million Israelis reportedly engaged in the Sunday protests across Israel as well, according to Haaretz, an Israeli newspaper.
Several released hostages, including Ilana Gritzewsky, Arbel Yehoud, Sharon Cunio, and Yarden Bibas, joined the protest.
“This day of strike is important, but it cannot be just one day,” stated Yehoud. “We have to disrupt again and again until those in captivity come back.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later responded to the massive protest, arguing that the spectacle does nothing but “guarantee” that another terror attack similar to October 7th will repeat itself.
“Those who call today for an end to Hamas’s war not only harden the terrorist group’s position and delay the release of our hostages, but also guarantee that the horrors of October 7 will be repeated and that we will have to fight an endless war,” Netanyahu responded.
Einav Zangauker, the mother of one hostage named Matan, issued a damning statement after Netanyahu’s comment, stating: “Netanyahu’s toxic and detached statement only proves how much the protests scare him.”
A Reuters report on Monday stated that a Hamas official told mediators that the Islamist group has approved the latest ceasefire proposal in Gaza, though it doesn’t mention hostages specifically. The statement refers only to approval of the ceasefire proposal itself. However, other reports have claimed that a hostage provision is included. The Jerusalem Post reported that the deal includes a 60-day ceasefire and the entry of more humanitarian aid into Gaza through international aid organizations, in exchange for the release of 10 living hostages and 18 deceased hostages. The deal also purportedly includes agreeing to ongoing negotiations to permanently end the war while the ceasefire is in place, the outlet continued.
It is worth noting that The Jerusalem Post’s claim regarding the “release of 10 living hostages and 18 deceased hostages, entry of more humanitarian aid through international aid organizations, and ongoing negotiations for a permanent end to the war,” is not corroborated by Reuters or other major outlets such as AP, The Guardian, or Axios.
Nevertheless, in a swift response, the Prime Minister’s Office declared that Israel will only agree to a deal contingent on the simultaneous release of all hostages.
“The Prime Minister’s Office clarifies that Israel will agree to a deal on condition that all the hostages are released in one go, and in accordance with our conditions for ending the war, which include the disarming of Hamas, the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip, Israeli control of the Gaza perimeter, and the installation of non-Hamas ans non-Palestinian Authority governance that will live in peace with Israel,” the statement read.
UPDATE – 8/18/25 – 11:06 a.m. PT – Section pertaining to conflicting reports with The Jerusalem Post versus other outlets was added to article.
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