US President Donald Trump voiced his growing frustration with the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas on Sunday (Feb 9) after seeing the latest hostage handover by Hamas over the weekend.

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"They look like Holocaust survivors. They were in horrible condition. They were emaciated," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One while en route to New Orleans for the Super Bowl.

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He warned that patience was running thin, saying, "I don't know how much longer we can take that ... at some point we're going to lose our patience."

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Referring to the slow release of Israeli hostages, Trump added, "I know we have a deal ... they dribble in and keep dribbling in ... but they are in really bad shape."

Among those freed on Saturday were Ohad Ben Ami and Eli Sharabi, who had been abducted from Kibbutz Be'eri during Hamas' attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, along with Or Levy, who was taken from the Nova music festival that same day.

The three men were led onto a Hamas podium by gunmen before being transferred to the Red Cross officials.

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The condition of these hostages appeared notably worse than the 18 others previously released under the truce. Many Palestinian prisoners freed by Israel have also looked malnourished and frail.

Michal Cohen, mother-in-law of released hostage Ohad Ben Ami, speaking to Channel 13 News, said, "He looked like a skeleton, it was awful to see."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the visuals and said, "We will not go into the agenda about the shocking sights we saw today. The shocking images we saw today will not pass without response."

Trump's comments following the release of the three visibly gaunt hostages have cast further doubt over the fate of the ceasefire agreement.

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Trump reaffirms his plan for United States to acquire Gaza

Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump reaffirmed his commitment to his plan for the United States to acquire Gaza once Palestinians leave or are removed. He suggested that other nations could assist in reconstruction efforts.

“I’m committed to buying and owning Gaza. As far as us rebuilding it, we may give it to other states in the Middle East to build sections of it. Other people may do it through our auspices. But we’re committed to owning it, taking it, and making sure that Hamas doesn’t move back. There’s nothing to move back into. The place is a demolition site. The remainder will be demolished,” he told reporters.

(With inputs from agencies)