Trump Issues Stern Warning Over Gaza Hostages, Vows Severe Consequences if Not Released
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump warned on Monday of severe repercussions in the Middle East if hostages held in the Gaza Strip are not freed before his January 20, 2025, inauguration.
The hostages, captured during Hamas-led militants’ deadly 2023 assault on Israel, include over 250 individuals according to Israeli reports, among them dual Israeli-American nationals. Currently, around 101 foreign and Israeli hostages remain unaccounted for, with only half believed to be alive.
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In his most pointed remarks on the issue since winning the presidency, Trump declared on social media:
“[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.”
He further warned, “Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America.”
Hamas, for its part, has tied the release of hostages to a ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reaffirmed that the military campaign will persist until Hamas is dismantled as a threat to Israel.
Amid ongoing conflict, Hamas reported on Monday that 33 hostages had been killed in Gaza, though their nationalities remain undisclosed. Israel’s military launched its offensive following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that killed approximately 1,200 Israelis. In the aftermath, Gaza officials claim over 44,400 Palestinians have died, with vast portions of the enclave devastated and most of its population displaced.
