President-elect Donald Trump issued a major warning to the Hamas terrorist group on Monday, warning that there will be “ALL HELL TO PAY” if Hamas does not release all of the hostages prior to his inauguration on January 20.
In a statement on Truth Social, Trump claimed that while everyone is talking about the Israeli and American hostages who have been held “violently” and “inhumanely” captive by Hamas since October 7, 2023, world leaders continue to talk with “no action.”
“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, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against Humanity,” Trump wrote. “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 warning to Hamas came after The Jerusalem Post reported that Israel Defense Forces had confirmed that Omer Neutra, an American-Israeli hostage who was believed to be alive for months, was killed by Hamas on October 7, 2023.
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The Jerusalem Post reported that Neutra served with the 77th Battalion of the 7th Brigade as an Israeli tank platoon commander. Following confirmation of Neutra’s death, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a statement on X, formerly Twitter, promising that Israel would “act resolutely and tirelessly until we return all of our hostages.”
According to The Jerusalem Post, roughly 50 of the original 250 hostages kidnapped by Hamas remain in the terrorist organization’s custody. The terrorist group also currently has possession of the bodies of 50 dead hostages. The outlet noted that 80 hostages were returned in a hostage deal last November, eight hostages were rescued, and many other hostages were killed by the terrorist organization.
While a permanent cease-fire deal between Hamas and Israel has not been successful in the Middle East, Trump’s transition team recently celebrated a cease-fire deal between Israel and the Hezbollah terrorist group.
Following the cease-fire agreement, Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.), Trump’s national security adviser nominee, tweeted, “Everyone is coming to the table because of President Trump. His resounding victory sent a clear message to the rest of the world that chaos won’t be tolerated. I’m glad to see concrete steps towards deescalation in the Middle East.”
