US President-elect Donald Trump has issued an ultimatum to terrorist group Hamas of massive repercussions if hostages are not released by the time he takes office.
The threat comes after exhaustive diplomacy by outgoing President Joe Biden’s administration that has so far failed to secure a deal that would both end Israel’s war in Gaza and free hostages seized 14 months ago.
In a social media post, Trump has asked Hamas to release all hostages before he assumes office as US President, otherwise those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied history of the United States.
This is not the first time that Trump has addressed the conflict in Gaza. Previously, he has told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he wants the war in the enclave to end before he returns to the White House.
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.
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