Trump says Hamas may release 20 hostages “a little early” under the agreement

president Donald Trump He said on Sunday that Hamas might release the 20 hostages it is holding “a little early.”

Trump spoke with reporters aboard Air Force One on his way to the Middle East, where he was asked about the latest developments on the hostages and when they might be released.

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US President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on October 12, 2025, that the 20 hostages held by Hamas could be released a little early. (Chip Somodevila/Getty Images)

“So, they’re holding the hostages — I understand it’s all 20 of them — and maybe we’ll get them out a little early,” Trump said. “It was great to have them, actually, because we were involved, and they were in places you don’t want to know about.”

The president’s comments come as Hamas faces a deadline to return all remaining hostages to Israel, following the peace agreement that ended the two-year war between Israel and Hamas.

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the Peace agreementThe move, brokered by President Trump, sparked celebrations across the region, which has been plagued by violence since the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023.