The elected American President Donald Trump warned that “hell will erupt in the Middle East” if the hostages still held in Gaza are not released by his inauguration on January 20.
Trump stated, “This will not be good for Hamas and it won’t be good, frankly, for anyone. Hell will erupt, and there’s no need to say more, but that’s the situation. This should never have happened,” referring to the terrorist attack launched by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023.
During a press conference held at his resort “Mar-a-Lago” in Florida, Trump mentioned that his nominee for the position of Special Envoy to the Middle East, Stephen Wittkof, said that negotiators are “making a lot of progress” regarding a deal to release the hostages held in Gaza.
Wittkof added that he truly hopes “we will have some good news to announce on behalf of the President by the time of the inauguration,” indicating that he will return to the Qatari capital, Doha.
Doha is hosting negotiations concerning a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza war, which would include the release of hostages taken by Hamas.
Qatar, Egypt, and the United States are mediating the indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
Wittkof stated, “The President, his reputation, and the things he has said are leading these negotiations, so we hope everything will succeed and that we can save some lives.”
Trump had escalated his rhetoric late last year when he stated that “a hefty price will be paid in the Middle East” if the hostages held in Gaza are not released before he takes the oath as president.
At that time, Trump posted on his platform “Truth Social,” saying, “Everyone is talking about the hostages being held violently and in an inhumane manner against the will of the entire world in the Middle East, but all this is just talk and there is no action.”
He continued, “If the hostages are not released by January 20, 2025, the date on which I proudly assume my position as President of the United States, there will be hell in the Middle East that will pay a hefty price, and those officials who committed these atrocities against humanity.”
He mentioned, “Those responsible will face a blow stronger than any other blow anyone in the long and illustrious history of the United States has ever faced. Release the hostages now.”
It is noted that Hamas, an Islamist Palestinian armed group, is classified by Germany, the European Union, the United States, and other countries as a terrorist organization.
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