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U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday condemned Hamas for its handling of the bodies of the Bibas children and the group’s failure to return their mother, Shiri.
In an interview with Fox News Radio, Trump called the scene of the children's bodies being transferred "unbelievable" and "barbaric."
"It looked like they were celebrating when they brought the bodies. It was a horrific, brutal scene—hard to believe this is happening in the modern era," Trump said.
He expressed support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s military campaign in Gaza, suggesting that Netanyahu was determined to continue the fight against Hamas. "He’s angry, and rightfully so, especially after what happened with the babies yesterday. It was terrible, really tough. He’s not divided on this decision. He wants to continue," Trump said.
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Trump acknowledged the dilemma between eliminating Hamas and securing the release of hostages but said he would support any decision Netanyahu makes. "I’m okay with whatever he decides. I really am," he said.
Trump also criticized his predecessor Joe Biden’s opposition to an IDF incursion into the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah in May last year, saying Netanyahu should not feel constrained by Washington. "Sometimes you have to make tough decisions, and this is a tough decision," Trump added.
Addressing the condition of recently released hostages Eli Sharabi, Ohad Ben Ami and Or Levy, Trump said, "They looked like they came out of a concentration camp. They wanted to release those who looked the best first."
When asked about his proposal for control over Gaza, Trump clarified, "I wouldn’t enforce it, I would recommend it," and described Israel’s 2005 disengagement from Gaza as "a terrible real estate deal."
Meanwhile, White House National Security Advisor Mike Waltz responded to the Israeli military's confirmation that Hamas had murdered Bibas brothers Kfir and Ariel, rather than them being killed in an airstrike.
"The Bibas children were murdered by Hamas, not mistakenly bombed. This is pure evil," Waltz said. "Hamas must be destroyed. Our prayers are with the Bibas family and all Israelis in the face of this unspeakable violence."
IDF: Bibas children brutally murdered in early weeks of war
IDF Spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari on Friday delivered one of his most emotional statements since the October 7 Hamas attacks, revealing chilling details about the fate of Kfir and Ariel Bibas. Hagari dismissed Hamas' claims that the young brothers were killed in an Israeli airstrike, stating that forensic evidence confirms they were murdered in cold blood by their captors.
Ariel and Kfir Bibas were murdered by terrorists in cold blood," Hagari said. "The terrorists did not shoot the two young boys, they killed them with their bare hands. Afterward, they committed horrific acts to cover up these atrocities. He added that forensic analysis, combined with intelligence assessments, indicates that the bodies were mutilated to obscure the cause of death and falsely blame Israel for their killings.
Hagari also addressed Hamas’ failure to return the body of the children's mother, Shiri Bibas, saying, "The body that Hamas falsely claimed was Shiri, was not hers, and not of any other hostage. Hamas sent over the body of an anonymous woman. This is further evidence of Hamas’ barbaric cruelty," and accusing the Palestinian terrorist group of violating the cease-fire-for-hostages agreement.
The IDF has shared its findings with international partners, urging them to publicly confirm both the intelligence and forensic evidence, Hagari said. "The entire world will know exactly how the Hamas terrorist organization operates," he added.
Hagari also spoke about his meeting with Yarden Bibas, the father of Kfir and Ariel, who was abducted during the October 7 attack and released earlier this month as part of a hostage deal. "Yarden looked me in the eyes last night and asked that the world know and be horrified by the way his children were murdered," Hagari said. "The murder of children is a crime against every moral, ethical and religious standard—even in Islam. Yarden, the entire nation shares your pain and is waiting for Shiri to come home."
He reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to securing the return of all remaining hostages, saying, "We are obligated to do everything in our power to bring Shiri and all those still held captive back home as soon as possible."