Trump’s vow on hostages is praised by Israeli leaders, but Gazans are terrified

Israeli leaders praised U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s promise on Tuesday that if hostages in the Gaza Strip are not freed before his inauguration on January 20, there will be “hell to pay” in the Middle East.
In Gaza, the response was less positive.

Trump stated in a post on Truth Social that the captives must be released by the time he becomes office, without mentioning any specific organization.

In the event that his demand was not fulfilled, he declared: “Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America.”

More than 250 individuals were taken prisoner by Hamas-led militants during their deadly 2023 onslaught on Israel. At least a third of them are thought to be dead, but around half of them are still in Gaza, even though some have been freed or released.

Trump’s scathing remarks were openly praised by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and some of his ministers.

Netanyahu began a cabinet meeting by saying, “President Trump put the emphasis in the right place, on Hamas, and not on the Israeli government, as is customary (elsewhere).”

According to Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Trump’s remarks made it obvious to everyone who was correct and who was incorrect.

“This is the way to bring back the hostages: by increasing the pressure and the costs for Hamas and its supporters, and defeating them, rather than giving in to their absurd demands.”

The missing hostages’ families also conveyed their appreciation. “Everyone can now see that the time has arrived. The families forum declared, “We have to bring them home NOW.”

STATED NEGOTIATIONS

Since October 2023, Israel and Hamas have been engaged in intermittent talks; however, despite a November hostage release, little has been accomplished, with both parties placing the blame on one another.

Senior Hamas leader Basem Naim responded to Trump’s post by accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of undermining any attempts to reach an agreement that would have exchanged the hostages for Palestinian inmates detained in Israeli jails.

“Therefore, we understand (Trump’s) message is directed first at Netanyahu and his government to end this evil game,” he stated to Reuters.

Trump’s threat, according to Gaza political expert Ramiz Moghani, was aimed at both Hamas and Iran, the organization’s supporter, and it would give Israel the confidence to annex the nearby, Israeli-occupied West Bank in addition to evicting Palestinians from large areas of Gaza.

“These statements have serious implications for the Israeli war in Gaza and the West Bank,” he stated to Reuters.

Mohammed Dahlan is eager for the war to finish since, like hundreds of thousands of Gazans, he had to leave his home due to the fighting. However, he claimed that Trump had stunned him.

“We were hoping that the new administration would bring with it a breakthrough …. but it seems (Trump) is in complete agreement with the Israeli administration and that there are apparently more punitive measures ahead,” he stated.