ABC News faces fury for labeling 'slain' Hamas hostages as merely 'deceased'



ABC News faced a fierce wave of backlash for its reporting on Hamas' announced plan to release additional hostages in two phases later this week.

The terrorist group claimed it will release the bodies of four hostages on Thursday and six living hostages on Saturday.

'Civilian hostages, little children, murdered by the evil, brutal scum of Hamas.'

According to Hamas, the two youngest people kidnapped by the group, Kfir and Ariel Bibas, are no longer alive; their bodies are among the four to be returned this week. Kfir was just 9 months old and Ariel was 4 when they were abducted along with their parents, Shiri and Yarden Bibas, in October 2023. Shiri reportedly is also dead. Yarden was released last month.

ABC News published an article on the update, writing in a post on X, "Hamas will release the bodies of four deceased hostages on Thursday and six living hostages on Saturday, Hamas and Israel confirmed. Four more dead hostages will be released next week, according to Israel."

Social media users lambasted ABC News in the comments for softening its language regarding Hamas by outright omitting any mention that the group is suspected of murdering the "deceased hostages."

"Deceased, yes. Why are they 'deceased,' exactly?" one user wrote. "Any chance you left out the detail that they were murdered? Seems at least a little relevant."

"The people who are paid to use precise words to record every event are suddenly at a loss to find the right word to describe Hamas murdering hostages," another individual stated. "'Deceased' was a deliberate and very poor choice by ABC."

Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) blasted the news outlet for referring to the young children as "deceased" and "dead."

"Do you mean 'murdered,' @ABC?" he asked. "Civilian hostages, little children, murdered by the evil, brutal scum of Hamas."

The Israeli prime minister's office appeared to confirm that the civilian hostages were murdered, referring to them as "four slain hostages," CNN reported.

The office noted that "four additional slain hostages are expected to be handed over to Israel next week."

Hamas has previously claimed that the Bibas family was killed in a November 2023 Israeli airstrike. However, the terrorist group did not provide evidence, and the Israeli military has not confirmed the claims.

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Hamas agrees to release hostages following Trump's stern warning



Hamas announced on Thursday that it will proceed with its original agreement with Israel to release more hostages on Saturday.

As part of the ceasefire, Hamas had initially agreed to release three more hostages this weekend. However, it threatened to indefinitely postpone any further releases, claiming that Israel violated the agreement.

'We are not interested in the collapse of the ceasefire agreement.'

According to Abu Obeida, a Hamas spokesperson, these violations included delaying "allowing the return of the displaced to the northern Gaza Strip, targeting them with direct shelling and gunfire in various areas across Gaza, and denying relief supplies of all kinds to enter as agreed."

"Therefore, the release of the Zionist prisoners next Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025, will be postponed until further notice, and until the occupation commits to and provides compensation for the entitlements of the past weeks retroactively," Obeida remarked. "We reaffirm our commitment to the terms of the agreement, as long as the occupation remains committed to them."

In response, President Donald Trump warned that he would "let all hell break out" if the terrorist group did not release all the remaining hostages by noon on Saturday.

"I would say, cancel it and all bets are off and let hell break out," Trump said. "If they're not returned — all of them, not in dribs and drabs, not two and one and three and four and two — by Saturday at 12 o'clock. And after that, I would say, all hell is going to break out."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seemed to echo this sentiment, stating that his country would resume "intense fighting" if Hamas refused to release more of the hostages.

"We will continue to take determined and ruthless action until we return all of our hostages — the living and the deceased," Netanyahu declared.

The warnings from Trump and Netanyahu appear to have pressured Hamas into agreeing once again to conduct the scheduled Saturday swap.

The Associated Press reported that a Hamas spokesperson confirmed the group would release three hostages this weekend.

Abdel-Latif al-Qanoua, a spokesperson for the terrorist group, stated, "We are not interested in the collapse of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, and we are keen on its implementation and ensuring that the occupation [Israel] adheres to it fully."

"The language of threats and intimidation used by Trump and Netanyahu does not serve the implementation of the ceasefire agreement," he added.

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'Let all hell break out': Trump issues dire warning to Hamas over threats to delay hostage release



President Donald Trump responded to Hamas' threats to indefinitely hold the remaining hostages despite initially agreeing to release a few individuals by noon on Saturday.

In mid-January, the former Biden administration announced a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. The fragile arrangement included an agreement for Hamas to release 33 of the 251 hostages — including children, women, and elderly civilians — captured in its October 7, 2023, terror attack in exchange for Israel turning over nearly 2,000 Palestinian terrorists.

'All hell is going to break out.'

So far, Israel and Hamas have carried out five exchanges, releasing 21 hostages and 730 Palestinian prisoners. The next swap was scheduled for Saturday by noon, when Hamas was expected to release three more hostages. However, Hamas has threatened to indefinitely hold the hostages, claiming Israel broke the ceasefire deal.

Abu Obeida, a spokesperson for the terrorist group, stated, "Over the past three weeks, the resistance leadership has monitored the enemy's violations and failure to fulfill its obligations under the agreement, including the delay in allowing the return of the displaced to the northern Gaza Strip, targeting them with direct shelling and gunfire in various areas across Gaza, and denying relief supplies of all kinds to enter as agreed, while the resistance has implemented all its obligations."

"Therefore, the release of the Zionist prisoners next Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025, will be postponed until further notice, and until the occupation commits to and provides compensation for the entitlements of the past weeks retroactively," Obeida said. "We reaffirm our commitment to the terms of the agreement, as long as the occupation remains committed to them."

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz called Hamas' threats to hold the hostages "a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement and the hostage release deal."

"I have instructed the [Israeli Defense Forces] to maintain the highest level of readiness for any possible scenario in Gaza and to fortify the defense of Israeli communities. We will not allow a return to the reality of Oct. 7," Katz added.

Trump responded to Hamas' threats on Monday evening, suggesting that Israel cancel the ceasefire agreement if the terrorists do not release all the remaining hostages by the Saturday deadline. He noted that it would ultimately be "Israel's decision."

"If all the Gaza hostages aren't returned by Saturday at 12 p.m., I would say cancel the ceasefire," Trump stated. "Let all hell break out; Israel can override it."

He added that Hamas must release "all of them — not in drips and drabs."

"Saturday at 12 p.m. and after that, I would say, all hell is going to break out," Trump stated.

Hamas is reportedly holding 76 remaining hostages, but only 44 are believed to still be alive, NBC News reported.

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Why Hamas deals are built on bad faith



As a businessman with 30 years of negotiation experience, I’ve learned two vital principles: First, structure deals you’d accept if roles were reversed to ensure mutual respect and stability. Second, ambiguity is destructive. Clear terms and pathways are essential to prevent misinterpretation and bad faith, especially in phased agreements. Good faith — truth, commitment, and transparency — must underpin every successful deal.

Any deal that does not demand the release of all hostages now is set up to fail.

The proposed Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage exchange deal is fraught with risks. The release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners, 20% of whom have long sentences and are likely convicted murderers, among whom are likely to be many would-be Sinwar replacements, in exchange for 33 Israeli hostages — freed incrementally over six weeks — invites bad faith. This staggered approach requires Israel’s continued negotiation with terrorists. Hamas will use the time to rearm, reorganize, and manipulate terms.

Hamas is a terrorist organization rooted in violence and deceit. Trusting Hamas to uphold agreements is unrealistic. For lasting peace, Hamas must be disbanded, its leadership held accountable, and Gaza demilitarized.

The genocide of Jews and the destruction of Israel are at the heart of the Hamas charter. Hamas represents the lovers of death. The organization is fragmented, and I do not believe there stands one person who has the authority to bind any “deal” — another misnomer in all of this.

The Iranian regime will continue supporting and forcing its proxies of terror to its desired outcome, which is to unleash terror and pursue its mission of global jihad. It is unlikely that Hamas will be allowed to give up its only leverage, which guarantees its survival.

Any deal that does not demand the release of all hostages now is set up to fail, because there is too long a period and too much left undefined. I am sorry, but this deal is not set up for success. I hope we can get as many hostages as possible home alive and consider these events yet another phase in the war of October 7.

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Release the hostages, or there will be 'HELL TO PAY': Trump warns Hamas



President-elect Donald Trump delivered a stark ultimatum to Hamas on Monday, calling for the immediate release of hostages abducted during the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack against Israel.

Hamas' brutal assault resulted in the tragic deaths of approximately 1,200 civilians and injuries to 8,700 others. The extremist group kidnapped hundreds of hostages, including infants, women, and the elderly.

'Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America.'

On Monday, the Israel Defense Forces announced that Omer Neutra, a 21-year-old American-Israeli dual citizen who was previously thought to be a hostage, was actually murdered during the October 7 attack.

It is believed that three American hostages — Eden Alexander, 21; Keith Siegel, 65; and Sagui Dekel-Chen, 35 — are still alive and being held by Hamas more than a year later.

The terror organization released a propaganda video on Saturday that showed Alexander alive and, while under duress, calling for Trump to "use your influence and the full power of the United States to negotiate our freedom." The footage warned that "time is running out."

Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social, "Everybody is talking about the hostages who are being held so violently, inhumanely, and against the will of the entire World, in the Middle East - But it's all talk, and no action!"

"Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that if the hostages are not released prior to January 20, 2025, the date that I proudly assume Office as President of the United States, there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against Humanity," Trump declared.

"Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW!" he demanded.

In October, the Israeli government confirmed that it killed Yahya Sinwar, the head of Hamas who was one of the masterminds behind last year's attack.

Over the weekend, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told "Face the Nation" that he believes the terror organization is "feeling the pressure."

"They're feeling the pressure because one of their main partners in crime here, Hezbollah, has now cut a ceasefire deal," Sullivan stated. "They're feeling the pressure, of course, because their top leader, Sinwar, has been killed. So they may be looking anew at the possibility of getting a ceasefire and hostage deal."

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