US President-elect Donald Trump has issued an ultimatum to terrorist group Hamas that the hostages taken by it be released from Gaza before his inauguration in January, or there will be "hell to pay" in the Middle East for those responsible.
Writing on Truth Social, and without naming any militant group, Trump said on Monday in his post: "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, 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!"
About 250 hostages were captured in the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and about 100 of them remain in Gaza, with about a third believed to be dead, according to the Israeli authorities.
The Biden administration has been working since last year with Israel and international mediators, including Qatar and Egypt, on a cease-fire deal that would include the release of the hostages.
It was not clear what tactic Trump might take that has not already been taken already by Israel, which has killed many of Hamas's leaders and thousands of its fighters while leveling much of Gaza.
It was not clear what tactic Mr. Trump might take that has not already been taken already by Israel, which has killed many of Hamas’s leaders and thousands of its fighters, while leveling much of Gaza.
Trump said in his post on Monday, "It’s all talk and no action" when it comes to the hostages, and his statement suggesting that he could use the power of his office to punish those who took the captives is the first sign of how aggressively Trump might handle Middle East policy when he resumes office.
There was one brief pause in the fighting, more than a year ago, that led to the release of about 105 hostages. And efforts to broker a cease-fire deal appeared to stall last month after mediators met in Egypt.
Some hostages have also been rescued in Israeli military operations. But there have been protests and widespread frustration in Israel over the lack of a deal to secure their freedom, with critics of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel saying that he has failed to prioritise their release over his political survival.
This is not the first time that Trump has addressed the conflict in Gaza and the fate of the remaining hostages.
He has told Netanyahu that he wants the war in the enclave to end before he returns to the White House. And at the Republican National Convention in July, he said that he wanted the hostages returned and that captors "will be paying a very big price".
His latest warning came after Hamas released a propaganda video showing the American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander, 20, pleading with Trump to secure his release.
FM says GST rates to be reduced further, rationalised; Congress demands overhaul
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said that Goods and Services Tax (GST) rates will be reduced further as the process of rationalising tax slabs is nearing completion.
'Anti-incumbency is an issue of the past now': J.P. Nadda hails PM Modi's leadership in Tripura rally
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president J.P. Nadda on Sunday said that the political culture in India has changed after Narendra Modi became Prime Minister, adding that people earlier used to talk about the anti-incumbency factor against the government.
Budget Session: Second leg to see fireworks over delimitation row, Trump's tariffs; Waqf Bill on govt's agenda
The second leg of the Budget session of Parliament is set to resume on Monday and is expected to be a stormy one with both the Opposition and Government ready to outdo each other on multiple issues.
PM Modi visits Vice President Dhankhar in AIIMS, wishes him speedy recovery
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday visited the AIIMS Delhi to enquire about the health of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and prayed for his speedy recovery.
India, EU to hold next round of trade talks on March 10
India and the European Union are scheduled to begin the next round of talks for a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) from Monday in Brussels with the aim of concluding the talks by the end of this year, a senior official said.
Nari Shakti is foundation of Viksit Bharat: CM Manik Saha
Tripura Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha today said that women are crucial for making Ek Tripura Srestha Tripura and Nari Shakti of the 21st century is the foundation of Viksit Bharat.
BJP accuses CPI(M) of attempting to disrupt mega public gathering by making lies
Addressing the media on Saturday, Chakraborty claimed that the CPI(M) had a history of suppressing dissent during its rule, alleging that people who refused to participate in their rallies were deprived of employment opportunities under schemes like MNREGA.
STGT aspirants holds protest near CM’s resident, demands recruitment
A large group of unemployed youth who had successfully passed the 2022 Selection Test for Graduate Teachers (STGT) exam took to the streets today, demanding immediate recruitment.