US President-elect, Donald Trump has repeated his warnings that all hell will break loose in the Middle East if hostages kidnapped by Hamas in the Gaza Strip are not released before his inauguration on January 20.
“It will not be good for Hamas, and it will not be good, frankly, for anyone,” Trump said during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. “All hell will break out. I don’t have to say anymore, but that’s what it is.”
Trump also emphasized his strong support for Israel and his commitment to achieving peace in the region, noting that the conflict has persisted “longer than people would understand.
“I have to add, I am also for peace, it’s time, this fight has been going on for too long,” he said, noting that he was going to try to end the war between Hamas and Israel that began on Oct. 7, 2023, when thousands of Hamas-led terrorists massacred some 1,200 Israeli residents and took more than 250 captives.
Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, said at the same press conference that there’s been a lot of progress on efforts to release about 100 hostages held in the Gaza Strip, saying he’s hopeful a deal is achieved ahead of the inauguration.
Witkoff said he had just returned from discussions in Doha, Qatar, on the hostage release deal and was planning to head back to the region this week.
“I believe we’ve been on the verge of it. I don’t want to discuss sort of what’s delayed it,” he said.