Trump vows there will be ‘hell to pay in the Middle East’ if Hamas hostages are not released by the time he takes office
DONALD Trump has issued an ultimatum to Hamas if they do not release the hostages by the time he takes office.
The President-elect shared the extraordinary threat and said there would be “all hell to pay” in the Middle East.
Trump took to Truth Social to share his “action” on the issue, before he has even taken his seat at The White House.
He said: “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 gave a deadline to his threat but did not share what he would do if hostages were not released by then.
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 HELL TO PAY in the Middle East.”
He also made a threat to “those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against Humanity.”
The President-elect did not name Hamas or any other terror group of government holding hostages.
A total of 251 hostages were snatched and taken into Gaza and 63 are believed to still be in captivity.
Four Americans are thought to be among those still alive and three bodies have been held in Gaza.
Trump’s raging threats demanded the immediate release of those held in captivity.
He added: “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’s threat came hours after the Israeli government confirmed the death of dual US-Israeli citizen and hostage Omer Neutra, according to the Israeli government.
The 21-year-old from New York was believed to have been taken on the October 7 attack.
His parents campaigned relentlessly for his release from Hamas but they were told he had died over a year ago.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara honored Omer in a statement.
Netanyahu said: “Omer was a man of values, blessed with talents and a Zionist in every sense of the word.
“He immigrated to Israel to enlist in the IDF, chose a combat path and was chosen to command and lead.”
Two days earlier, Hamas released a distressing hostage video of Edan Alexander, who was serving in the Israeli military when he was taken to Gaza.
This video has been the first of its kind shared in months.
The 20-year-old appeared in the undated video and said he had been held in captivity for 420 days, which means the video would have been filmed last week.
Edan called on Trump to work on negotiating his freedom and that of the other Hamas hostages.
The hostage’s mother, Yael Alexander, said Edan “represents all the living hostages who cannot make their voices heard, and this voice needs to reverberate and shake everyone!”
MONETARY REWARD
This comes days after Israel confirmed it would offer more than $300 million for the safe return of hostages still in Gaza.
Netanyahu said Palestinians in Gaza who helped recover the 63 captives would be paid $5 million for each person returned without harm.
He said: “Whoever brings us a hostage will find a safe way out for himself and his family.”
The Israeli leader also issued a chilling warning, during a visit to the Strip with new defence minister Israel Katz on November 20, to those keeping hostages captive.
He added: “Whoever dares to harm our hostages will pay the price.
“We will pursue you and we will find you.”