President-elect Donald Trump issued a stern warning on Monday, declaring that there would be “all h— pay” in the Middle East if Hamas does not release all remaining hostages in Gaza before he takes office next month.
Having previously insisted that Israel find a way to end the Gaza conflict before his term begins, Trump has now delivered his most severe ultimatum yet, threatening direct American intervention in the war if his demands are not fulfilled.
“Everybody is talking about the hostages who are being held so violently, inhumanely, and against the will of the entire World, in the Middle East – But it’s all talk, and no action!” Trump posted on Truth Social.
He added, “Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that if the hostages are not released prior to January 20, 2025, the date that I proudly assume Office as President of the United States, there will be ALL H— TO PAY in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against Humanity.”
“Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW!” Trump emphasized.
This dire warning from Trump followed shortly after confirmation from the Israel Defense Forces that Omer Neutra, a 21-year-old New Yorker, was killed during Hamas’s October 7, 2023, terrorist assault on Israel.
Neutra, an Israeli-American from Plainview, Long Island, was initially thought to be alive, but the IDF revealed that he was among the 35 individuals whose bodies are still being held in Gaza alongside the 62 living hostages.
Hamas continues to hold the bodies of three other Israeli-Americans, as well as three others believed to still be alive.
Despite efforts by the Biden administration to broker a cease-fire agreement aimed at freeing the hostages over the past year, it appears unlikely that these hostages will be released before the end of Biden’s term next month.
As a result, the matter will fall to Trump, who has consistently pressured both Israel and Hamas to end the conflict prior to his inauguration.
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) confirmed that Trump’s stance on ending the Gaza war before he returns to the White House has not changed, as reported by Axios.
“Trump is more determined than ever to release the hostages and supports a cease-fire that includes a hostage deal. He wants to see it happening now,” Graham stated.
In a recent conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump is said to have imposed a firm deadline for the war to conclude by January 20, 2025, according to the Times of Israel.
Trump reportedly indicated that Israel could keep troops in Gaza beyond January, a proposal that Hamas has rejected outright, as long as Israel’s leaders officially declared the conflict to be over.
{Matzav.com}