President-elect Donald Trump issued an extraordinary threat to Hamas, saying if hostages are not released by his inauguration there will be ‘hell to pay’ in the Middle East.
Trump issued the stark threat on his Truth Social site, on a day the Isreal Defense Force confirmed the death of American-Isreali hostage Omer Maxim, saying he died defending a kibbutz during the October 7 Hamas attack inside Israel.
Hamas also two days ago released a harrowing hostage video of American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander, who has been held captive for 420 days, even as the U.S. helped broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
‘Everybody is talking about the hostages who are being held so violently, inhumanely, and against the will of the entire World, in the Middle East – But it’s all talk, and no action!’ Trump wrote.
‘Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that 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.’
‘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 demanded.
Trump did not specifically mention Hamas or other terror groups who may be holding hostages. A total of 251 people were taken, with more than 60 still being held.
Donald Trump gave Hamas or others responsible for holding hostages in the Middle East until January 20th to release them, saying otherwise there will be ‘hell to pay,’
He issued the statement while President Joe Biden was on the ground in Angola for what is expected to be his final oversease trip. His administration continues to try to negotiate for the release of remaining American and other hostages as part of a broader ceasefire agreement.
Whtie House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Sunday the sides were ‘not there yet’ as regional leaders continued to meet.
‘We are working actively to try to make it happen. We are engaged deeply with the key players in the region, and there is activity even today,’ he told NBC’s ‘Meet the Press.’
He also spoke about a hostage-ceasefire deal on ABC’s ‘This Week’ where he said there ‘there is one president at a time’ and spoke about Biden’s diplomatic efforts.
It was not immediately clear how Trump’s comments would play into the state of play during the unsual weeks-long period of a presidential transition.
Trump during the campaing made other comments about the transition, and has also said he’ll end Russia’s war on Ukraine. ‘I’ll have that done in 24 hours,’ he said in May 2023.
Trump threatened that those responsible would be ‘will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America’
Families of the hostages have coninued to issue urgent pleas for their release.
The IDF told the family of 21-year-old New Yorker Omer Maxim Neutra the heartbreaking news that he had been killed. The family of the dual U.S.-Israel citizen had believed he was one of the hostages still being kept alive.
The IDF said he was killed on October 7 and that Hamas terrorists took his body.
