Trump Issues Ultimatum on Gaza Hostages, Threatening Unprecedented Retribution
President-elect Donald Trump issued a stark warning on Monday, vowing severe consequences if the hostages held in Gaza are not released before his January 20 inauguration, Al Jazeera reports.
This represents his strongest statement yet on the ongoing conflict, and comes amid reports that he’s pushing for a pre-inauguration ceasefire.
In a Truth Social post, Trump criticized the lack of progress, seemingly targeting President Biden’s administration for its perceived failure to secure a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. He declared that those responsible for the hostage situation would face “hell to pay,” a threat he described as the harshest in US history. He demanded the immediate release of the hostages, but offered no specifics on what actions he might take.
The statement, while lacking detail, implicitly targets Hamas, who hold the hostages. This is despite Hamas’ repeated offers to release them in exchange for a ceasefire – an offer rejected by Israel, which insists on Hamas’ total defeat first. At least one Israeli official publicly praised Trump’s post.
This strong stance contrasts with Trump’s previous ambiguous pronouncements on the conflict. While campaigning on a platform of bringing peace to the Middle East, his specific plans have remained vague. His “America First” approach has generally avoided extensive US military intervention abroad. However, he’s simultaneously voiced support for Israel to “finish the job” in Gaza and has long been Netanyahu’s preferred US leader.
Trump’s past support for Israel is well-documented. During his first term, he moved the US embassy to Jerusalem, recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, brokered normalization agreements with Arab countries, and allowed the expansion of Israeli settlements. This pro-Israel stance continues with his incoming administration, which includes staunchly pro-Israel officials such as Secretary of State nominee Senator Marco Rubio and Ambassador to Israel nominee Mike Huckabee.
Yet, a recent statement by Senator Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally, suggests a more nuanced approach. Graham told Axios that Trump is committed to releasing the hostages and supports a ceasefire including a hostage exchange. This suggests a possible pathway to resolution, even amid the President-elect’s tough rhetoric.
The situation is further complicated by the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, which was announced by Biden just days before, yet already appears on the verge of collapse. The conflict in Gaza has claimed at least 44,466 Palestinian lives since October 7, when Hamas attacks killed at least 1,139 Israelis and led to the capture of more than 200. Israeli authorities report 101 captives remain, while Hamas says 33 of their captives have died. Both Hamas and Israeli officials have indicated recent talks aimed at achieving a ceasefire.
