Former US President Donald Trump on Sunday criticized the prisoner exchange agreement for not including American citizens among the first of about 50 released by Hamas since Friday.
“aHas anyone noticed that Hamas has returned people from other countries, but has not yet returned any American hostages?” the businessman asked on the social networking site he owns, “Truth Social.”
For Trump, this is synonymous with a “lack of leadership” on the part of US President Joe Biden, as well as a “lack of respect” for the United States.
“This is a very sad and dark time in America,” he stressed.
Hamas took about 240 people hostage on October 7, but since Friday about 50 of them have been released, as part of an agreement between the Palestinian Islamic movement and Israel, which in return released nearly 100 Palestinian prisoners, including women and children.
The current agreement stipulates a truce that will last until at least Monday, when Hamas will release 50 people.
For its part, Israel pledges to release three Palestinian prisoners for every hostage. The agreement itself stipulates that the truce be extended for one day in exchange for the release of ten other hostages from the Islamic Group.
William Shakespeare is a journalist and feature writer specialising in culture, entertainment, history, and current affairs. With a keen eye for storytelling and analysis, he produces informative articles that help readers understand the people, ideas, and events influencing modern life.
