United States President-elect Donald Trump has issued a stark warning, stating that “all hell will break out in the Middle East” if the hostages being held by Hamas are not released by January 20, the day of his inauguration as the 47th President of the United States.
Speaking at a news conference in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, Trump said: “All hell will break out. If those hostages aren’t back, I don’t want to hurt your negotiation, but if they’re not back by the time I get into office, all hell will break out in the Middle East.”
Trump did not elaborate on the specific actions he might take if the captives were not released by Inauguration Day.
Officials report that approximately 100 hostages, including some Americans, who were seized during the October 7, 2023, attacks, remain captive in Gaza. Many of them are believed to have died in captivity.
Trump’s Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steven Charles Witkoff, recently returned from the region and provided updates on the negotiations with Hamas. He expressed optimism about the progress being made: “I believe we’re on the verge of it. I don’t want to discuss what’s delayed it—no point in being negative—but I think it’s the president, his stature, what he’s said he expects, and the red lines he’s put out there that are driving this negotiation.”
Witkoff added, “I think we’ve had some really great progress and I’m hopeful that by the inauguration, we’ll have some good things to announce on behalf of the president.” He noted that negotiations between Hamas and Israel are ongoing in Qatar, with Hamas recently naming 34 hostages it would be willing to release in a ceasefire deal, according to NPR.
Trump emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating: “It will not be good for Hamas and frankly not good for anyone. All hell will break out. I don’t have to say more, but they should have given them back a long time ago—they should never have been taken in the first place.”
He recounted the grief of families seeking the return of their loved ones, including those who have died in captivity, and praised his envoy for the progress made so far. “I tell this, I don’t want to hurt the negotiation. If the deal isn’t done before I take office, which is now two weeks away, all hell will break out in the Middle East,” Trump reiterated.
The Biden administration has struggled for over a year to broker a ceasefire in Gaza. While a temporary ceasefire shortly after the October 7 attacks facilitated the release of some hostages, subsequent efforts to secure additional releases and pause the fighting have stalled.