CNN
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President-elect Donald Trump has warned that if hostages still held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip are not released by his inauguration on January 20, “all hell will break out in the Middle East.” It was another clear sign of the president’s influence. As he takes office in less than two weeks, he wants to avoid inheriting the Israeli-Hamas war.
“It’s not good for Hamas, and frankly it’s not good for anyone. All hell is going to break out. I don’t need to say any more, but that’s the fact,” Trump said Tuesday. He said in a speech at his Mar-a-Lago, Florida, residence, adding that the attack by the U.S. military on October 7, 2023 “must not happen.” Hamas in Israel.
Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s nominee for special envoy to the Middle East, expressed optimism about the status of negotiations for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that would ensure the release of the hostages. “There is,” he said. progress. ”
“What’s driving this negotiation is the president, his reputation, what he’s saying. I hope everything goes well and some lives are saved,” Witkoff added.
Witkoff added: “What’s driving this negotiation is the president, his reputation, what he’s saying. So I hope everything goes well and some lives are saved.” CNN previously reported that Biden administration officials were leading the talks, with incoming Trump administration officials closely updated on developments.
But a senior Biden administration official struck a more measured tone following Trump and Witkoff’s comments, telling CNN that negotiations remain “difficult.”
The official declined to comment further on the status of negotiations, but Witkoff appeared to suggest a deal by January 20 was realistic, but insisted negotiations would be difficult. He added that the Biden administration continues to work “in close collaboration” with Trump’s incoming national security team.
A senior Democratic official close to the White House also told CNN this week that Joe Biden’s top national security officials are not optimistic that a deal will be reached before he leaves office. “They’re all skeptical,” this person said.
The Biden administration has been unsuccessfully trying to help broker a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip for more than a year. In the weeks following the October 7 attack, an initial ceasefire resulted in the release of dozens of hostages, but subsequent efforts to suspend fighting and secure the release of additional hostages failed.
Witkoff told reporters he plans to return to Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday. White House Middle East coordinator Brett McGuirk is in the region to work on the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
This story has been updated with additional reporting.
