Trump warns Hamas that all hell will break out if hostages not released before his inauguration
The Hindu
President-elect Trump warns Hamas to release hostages before inauguration, threatening dire consequences if not met.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday (January 7, 2025) warned that “all hell will break out” if Hamas did not release hostages before January 20, when he will be sworn in as the 47th President of the United States.
“All hell will break out. If those hostages aren’t back, I don’t want to hurt your negotiation, if they’re not back by the time I get into office, all hell will break out in the Middle East,” Mr. Trump told reporters at a news conference in Mar-a-Lago, Florida.
He was responding to a question on the status of negotiations with Hamas on the release of American hostages by them. His Special Envoy to the Middle East Steven Charles Witkoff, who has just returned from the region, told reporters that they are on the verge of it.
“I believe we’ve been on the verge of it. I don’t want to discuss sort of what’s delayed it, no point to be negative in any way. But I think it’s the president, his stature, what he’s said he expects, the red lines he’s put out there, that’s driving this negotiation,” Mr. Witkoff said.
Noting that they are making a lot of progress, he said: “I don’t want to say too much because I think they’re doing a really good job back in Doha. I’m leaving tomorrow to go back to Doha. But I think that we’ve had some really great progress and I’m really hopeful that by the inauguration we’ll have some good things to announce on behalf of the president.”
“I actually believe that we’re working in tandem in a really good way, but it’s the president, his reputation, the things that he has said that are driving this negotiation. So hopefully it’ll all work out and we’ll save some lives,” Mr. Witkoff said.
Mr. Trump, in response to a question, warned Hamas to release all the hostages by January 20.
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