3-12-2024 (NEW YORK) Former US President Donald Trump has issued a forceful warning regarding the ongoing hostage crisis in Gaza, declaring there would be severe consequences if captives are not freed before his anticipated return to office.
In a strongly-worded statement posted on social media, the Republican president-elect asserted that failure to release the remaining hostages before his inauguration on 20 January 2025 would result in unprecedented retaliation against those responsible.
“The response will be more severe than anything witnessed in American history”, Trump declared, emphasising his commitment to resolving the crisis that has gripped the region since October 2023.
The hostage situation stems from Hamas’s devastating assault on Israel, during which militants seized approximately 250 individuals, including several American citizens. Current estimates suggest roughly half of the 101 remaining captives are still alive, though their precise conditions remain unknown.
Hamas officials announced Monday that 33 hostages have perished during the ongoing conflict, though these claims remain unverified. The militant group continues to demand a complete cessation of hostilities and Israeli withdrawal from Gaza as prerequisites for any hostage release negotiations.
The conflict, now in its fourteenth month, has extracted a devastating toll. Israeli authorities report 1,200 casualties from the initial Hamas attack, whilst Palestinian health officials in Gaza indicate more than 44,400 deaths resulting from Israel’s military response. The operation has left much of the coastal enclave in ruins and displaced the majority of its 2.3 million inhabitants.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu maintains his government’s position that military operations will continue until Hamas no longer poses a security threat to Israel, despite mounting international pressure for a ceasefire.
