After seeing emaciated hostages, Trump warns ‘we’re gonna lose our patience’

Speaking to a press gaggle on Air Force One, while en route to the Super Bowl, U.S. President Donald Trump remarked that the three Israeli hostages who returned on Saturday “looked like Holocaust survivors.” 

“I watched the hostages come back today and they looked like Holocaust survivors. They were in horrible condition. They were emaciated. It looked like many years ago, the Holocaust survivors, and I don’t know how much longer we can take that,” Trump said, later warning that “at some point, we’re gonna lose our patience.”  

“I know we have a deal we were supposed to get ... they dribble in and keep dribbling in ... but they are in really bad shape,” the president told reporters. 

Ohad Ben Ami and Eli Sharabi, both taken hostage from Kibbutz Be’eri, along with Or Levy, who was abducted from the Nova music festival on Oct. 7, 2023, were paraded onto a stage set up by Hamas on Saturday, just before their release to Israeli authorities. Many were shocked, as the three men appeared to be severely malnourished and pale. The men appeared in worse condition than the 18 hostages previously freed under the hostage release ceasefire deal. 

I watched the hostages come back today. And they looked like Holocaust surivors. They were in horrible condition. They were emacitated. It looked like many years ago the Holocaust survivors. I don't know how much longer we can take that...We're going to lose our patience"
- Trump pic.twitter.com/axyUrhlzPG

— Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) February 9, 2025

Trump noted that the released hostages have been “treated brutally”, even those who returned in better physical condition. 

“They have been treated brutally, horribly. Even the ones that came out earlier, they were in a little bit better shape, but mentally they were treated so badly. Who could take that?” the president asked. “You know, at some point, we’re gonna lose our patience.” 

“When I see that scene, and I saw it today, with people coming out of helicopters and airplanes that are emaciated, that look like they haven’t had a meal in a month, there’s no reason for that,” Trump remarked. “I don’t know how much longer we can take it.” 

Asked if he wanted to recast the terms of the deal, Trump answered, “I don’t know how long we can take it. When I watch people that were healthy people a reasonably short number of years ago, and you look at them today, they look like they’ve aged 25 years, they literally look like the old pictures of Holocaust survivors, the same thing,” the president stated. “And I don’t know how long we’re going to take that.” 

On Saturday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a statement saying the “serious condition” of the hostages would be addressed. 

“Due to the serious condition of the three hostages and the repeated violations by the Hamas terrorist organization, Prime Minister Netanyahu has instructed to not allow the situation to go unaddressed, and to take appropriate measures,” the statement by the Prime Minister’s Office said. 

President Trump also reiterated his commitment to having the U.S. take ownership of Gaza after Palestinians voluntarily leave or are evacuated from the Strip. 

The U.S. president shocked the world with the surprise announcement on Feb. 4, during Prime Minister Netanyahu’s visit to Washington. He again insisted that other countries may take part in rebuilding Gaza.

“As far as us rebuilding it, we may give it to other states in the Middle East to build sections of it, other people may do it, through our auspices. But we’re committed to owning it, taking it, and making sure that Hamas doesn’t move back,” Trump stated. 

While the president’s proposal has met with repeated statements of rejection and resistance by Arab and European states, he continues to insist that there are nations willing to take in Palestinian evacuees and help rebuild the destroyed enclave. 

President Trump is slated to meet with Jordanian King Abdullah II later this week, and with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi next week, ahead of an emergency Arab summit in Cairo on Feb. 27, to discuss the crisis in Gaza and the president’s proposal. 

Trump also told reporters that he will soon meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, but did not give a date for the meeting.