ISTANBUL

US President Donald Trump on Saturday criticized Palestinian group Hamas following the release of six hostages, claiming that they were "not in great shape" and calling the situation "disgraceful."

“The hostages, the six hostages, were delivered by Hamas. What a terrible situation it is,” Trump told reporters before departing for the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).

"They're not in great shape, but we've also seen them in worse shape," he added.

Earlier, Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, handed over six Israeli captives to the Red Cross at three locations in Gaza as part of the seventh prisoner exchange under the Jan. 19 ceasefire agreement.

In return, 602 Palestinians held in Israeli jails were supposed to be freed but Israel suspended their release, citing Hamas' delivery of a wrong body instead of detained Israeli Shiri Bibas on Thursday.

The Palestinian resistance group Hamas accused Israel of violating the prisoner exchange and Gaza ceasefire deal by delaying the release of Palestinian detainees.

Hamas spokesperson Abdul Latif Al-Qanou said in a press statement that “the occupation’s failure to release the prisoners of the seventh exchange batch on the agreed day represents a blatant violation of the agreement.”

“While Hamas has responded to the efforts of mediators to facilitate the exchange, the war criminal (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu continues his tactics of procrastination and delay, holding back the release of the (Palestinian) prisoners,” he added.

The ceasefire deal took effect last month, pausing Israel’s genocidal war, which has killed more than 48,000 people, mostly women and children, and left the enclave in ruins.