Doron Steinbrecher, a hostage released by Hamas, and her mother Simona —AP

Agencies JERUSALEM/GAZA/WASHINGTON

Hamas official Taher al-Nunu has confirmed to Agence France-Presse (AFP) that four female Israeli hostages will be freed in return for Palestinian prisoners on Saturday, in the second such release under a ceasefire deal. Nunu said the Palestinian militant group would release “four Israeli female detainees in exchange” for a second group of Palestinian prisoners.

He made the statement at a time when US President Trump said  he’s not confident that the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal will be upheld through all three phases. “It’s not our war. It is their war. I am not confident. But I think they’re very weakened on the other side,” Trump said  in response to a question from reporters while signing executive orders in the Oval Office, in Washington after being sworn in.

Trump said  Gaza “is like a massive demolition site,” adding that it will have to be “rebuilt in a different way” following 15 months of war.He adds that Gaza is in a “phenomenal location” along the Mediterranean Sea with the “best weather”. “Beautiful things could be done over there, fantastic things,” Trump says. Asked if he’ll help rebuild Gaza, the president responds, “I might.”

As for who will govern Gaza after the war, Trump says it can’t be Hamas, since “they didn’t exactly run it well” and “most of them are dead”.  He reiterates his belief that Hamas wouldn’t have carried out the October 7 onslaught if he were President, because Iran had been “broke” due to his maximum pressure sanctions regime.

“Now they’re rich, but weakened in a different way,” he said, highlighting one IDF operation that took out Tehran’s air defences and another that saw the mass detonation of communication devices belonging. to Hezbollah operatives in Lebanon. “The one attack by Israel really set them back,” Trump says.