Donald Trump Warns of “Hell to Pay” Over Gaza Hostages Ahead of Inauguration
United States President-elect, Donald Trump, has issued a stern warning to Hamas militants in Gaza, vowing that there will be “hell to pay” in the Middle East if the hostages held by the group are not released before his inauguration on January 20, 2025.
The hostages, totaling over 250 individuals, including foreign nationals and dual Israeli-American citizens, were captured during the October 2023 Hamas-led assault on Israel. According to Israeli sources, roughly half of the remaining 101 hostages are believed to be alive and held incommunicado.
Trump’s warning was clear: “If the hostages are not released prior to January 20, 2025, there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against Humanity”.
He further emphasized that those responsible for the kidnappings would face severe retaliation, stating that they would be “hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America”.
The situation in Gaza remains dire, with Hamas calling for an end to the war and a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza as part of any agreement for the release of the remaining hostages. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed that the war will continue until Hamas is eradicated and no longer poses a threat to Israel.
The conflict has resulted in significant human suffering, with over 44,400 Palestinian deaths and most of Gaza’s population displaced, according to officials in Gaza. Large parts of the enclave are in ruins, and international humanitarian organizations have warned of an impending catastrophe.
