Trump warns of "ALL HELL TO PAY" if Israeli hostages are not released
Hezbollah strikes Israeli position, citing ceasefire violations
Hezbollah says it carried out a 'defensive warning strike' on an Israeli military position, according to Reuters. The Israeli military said the Hezbollah strike is consisted of two missiles. The fire was into a disputed border zone held by IDF.
WASHINGTON - President-elect Donald Trump has issued a stark ultimatum to Hamas, demanding the immediate release of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza. Trump, who will take office on Jan. 20, 2025, warned that failure to release the hostages before his inauguration would result in "HELL TO PAY."
"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 HELL TO PAY in the Middle East," Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform. "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!"
Threat raises questions about U.S. involvement
While Trump did not explicitly state whether he would involve U.S. military forces in Israel’s campaign against Hamas, his language has left the door open to speculation. Allies of the president-elect suggested that Trump hopes for a resolution before he assumes office, potentially avoiding further escalation.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog praised Trump’s remarks, responding on X (formerly Twitter): "Thank you and bless you Mr. President-elect @realDonaldTrump. We all pray for the moment we see our sisters and brothers back home!"
Hamas releases video of American-Israeli hostage
Hamas has released a propaganda video of American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander, who has been held captive for 422 days. The White House denounced the video of Alexander, calling it "a cruel reminder of Hamas’s terror." The disturbing footage shows the 20-year-old covering his face and crying. Alexander, who is a dual American-Israeli citizen, was serving in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) when he was abducted by Hamas terrorists during the Oct. 7 attacks. LiveNOW's Andy Mac spoke about the hostage video and other headlines with Hussain Abdul-Hussain, a research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office declined to comment on Trump’s statements.
The hostage crisis in Gaza
The hostage situation began during Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, assault on southern Israel. Militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took approximately 250 hostages into Gaza. Israeli officials estimate that about 100 hostages are still in captivity, with two-thirds believed to be alive.
Trump’s ultimatum followed reports of the death of Omer Neutra, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen whose body remains in Gaza, and a hostage video of Israeli soldier Edan Alexander filmed under apparent duress. In the video, Alexander called on Trump to work toward securing the hostages' freedom.
Ongoing efforts for a resolution
The Biden administration has attempted to broker talks between Israel and Hamas alongside a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. However, U.S. officials have expressed frustration, citing Hamas’s unwillingness to negotiate and indifference towards Gaza’s civilian casualties.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has devastated Gaza, killing at least 44,429 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, and displacing 90% of its population of 2.3 million people.
With Trump’s inauguration drawing closer, his forceful rhetoric marks a potential turning point in U.S. involvement in the region.