President Trump expressed growing frustration on Sunday regarding the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. His comments followed the release of footage showing Israeli hostages freed by the Palestinian militant group over the weekend, which he likened to Holocaust survivors.

Trump’s reaction to the images of the three hostages, who looked notably frail upon their release on Saturday, raised new doubts about the viability of the ceasefire deal, especially as 76 hostages remain unaccounted for. This comes shortly after he advocated for the removal of Palestinians from the region and suggested that the U.S. should assume control.

“They resemble Holocaust survivors. Their condition is appalling. They are emaciated,” Trump remarked to reporters while aboard Air Force One en route to New Orleans for the Super Bowl. “I’m not sure how much longer we can endure this… at some point, our patience will run out.”

“I understand we have an agreement… but the hostages are being released slowly, and they are in very poor condition,” he added, referring to the Israeli captives.

The three men—Ohad Ben Ami and Eli Sharabi, who were taken from Kibbutz Be’eri during the Hamas-led assault on October 7, 2023, and Or Levy, abducted from the Nova music festival that same day—were escorted onto a Hamas platform by armed individuals prior to their handover to Israeli authorities. Their appearance was notably worse than that of the 18 other hostages released earlier under the truce, which was established on January 15, months into the ongoing conflict. Many Palestinian prisoners released by Israel have also shown signs of significant weight loss and poor health.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed on Saturday that the sight of the frail hostages was deeply distressing and would be addressed. In a reciprocal action for the release of the three men, Israel released 183 Palestinian prisoners on the same day.

Former President Trump also informed reporters of his ongoing commitment to the idea of the U.S. purchasing and assuming control of Gaza once Palestinians vacate or are removed from the area. This unexpected announcement was made on February 4 during Netanyahu’s recent visit to Washington. He indicated that other nations might participate in the reconstruction of parts of Gaza.

“In terms of our involvement in the rebuilding, we might delegate sections to other states in the Middle East, or allow others to contribute under our guidance. However, we are dedicated to owning it, taking control, and ensuring that Hamas does not regain a foothold.”