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President-elect Donald Trump issued a stern warning to Gaza militants on Monday, cautioning that failure to release hostages before his inauguration would lead to severe consequences. Trump’s remarks signal a tough stance on the crisis, setting the stage for a potentially confrontational approach as he prepares to assume office.
This latest threat emerges in the wake of relentless diplomatic maneuvers by the Biden administration, now in its final months, which have so far been unable to achieve a dual resolution: halting Israel’s war in Gaza and ensuring the release of hostages held for over a year.
“If the hostages are not released prior to January 20, 2025, the date that I proudly assume Office as President of the United States, there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against Humanity,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
“Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW!”
Trump has made it clear that his administration will offer firm backing to Israel, distancing himself from the more measured criticisms occasionally voiced by Biden. He has also emphasized his ambition to secure major international agreements, underscoring his focus on global diplomacy.
In what is now considered the deadliest attack on Israel, Hamas launched an assault on October 7, 2023, leading to 1,208 fatalities, primarily among civilians. This tragic event, reported by AFP through Israeli government sources, marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict.
Militants seized 251 hostages during the attack, some of whom were already dead. Of those, 97 are still held in Gaza, including 35 the army says are dead.
Israel’s retaliatory campaign has killed 44,429 people in Gaza, according to figures from the territory’s health ministry that the United Nations considers reliable.
