US President-elect Donald Trump gives a speech while gesturing at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, on January 7, 2025.
Carlos Barria | Reuters
President-elect Donald Trump warned on Tuesday that “hell will break out in the Middle East” if Hamas does not release hostages it is holding in Gaza by the Jan. 20 inauguration.
“It’s not good for Hamas and frankly it’s not good for anyone,” President Trump said at a news conference at the Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida.
“We want to get the hostages back for Israel and for us,” President Trump said.
“You know, we have people being held hostage,” he said, “and again, if this deal is not struck with the people who represent our country, I will By the time he takes office, something terrible will happen.” ”
President Trump did not say what action he would take if the hostages were not released.
Nearly 100 hostages are believed to still be held in Gaza, some of whom are presumed dead.
Hamas on Monday published a list containing the names of 34 hostages and said it was prepared to release it in the first phase of a potential ceasefire agreement with Israel.
President Trump is negotiating in Doha, Qatar, to win the release of hostages taken in the deadly October 7 attack by a terrorist organization, his special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, told reporters. He reiterated his warning, saying “a lot of progress” had been made. , 2023, Israel invades.
“I believe we are on the brink,” Witkoff said after President Trump spotted him at the back of the room and called him to the stage to speak.
Witkoff said he plans to return to Doha on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning.
It’s unclear what role Witkoff would have played in the talks, given that President Trump won’t be inaugurated for another two weeks and that Witkoff is not officially a representative of the U.S. government.
Earlier on Tuesday, Hamas said it supported Israel’s demand for a complete halt to military operations against Gaza as part of the hostage release agreement.
According to Reuters, Israel insists the war will continue until the hostages are released and Hamas is dismantled.
“I don’t want to say too much,” Witkoff said of the status of the talks in Doha.
However, he added, “I sincerely hope that we can make a really good announcement on behalf of the president by Inauguration Day.”
He credited Trump’s “reputation and comments” with “promoting negotiations.”
“I think they heard him loud and clear, and they wanted to get it done by Inauguration Day,” Witkoff said.
“I hope everything goes well and some lives are saved,” he added.
