Statements from Steve Witkoff, U.S. government, or reputable news agencies

Trump Warns Hamas: Release Hostages by Jan 20 or 'There Will Be Hell'; Envoy Witkoff Heads to Doha

Jan 7, 2025, 05:13 PM

President-elect Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to Hamas, stating that if hostages held by the group are not released by his inauguration on January 20, 'there will be hell.' He emphasized, 'There will be no "DON'T"; there will be hell. The hostages need to be released now.' Trump declared himself 'the best friend Israel has ever had' and urged for the immediate release of the hostages. In addition, Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, announced plans to travel to Doha 'today or tomorrow' to join negotiations on a hostage deal and a Gaza ceasefire. Witkoff expressed optimism about the progress being made, stating, 'I think we're making a lot of progress,' and hopes to have positive developments to announce by the inauguration. Meanwhile, President Biden has sent his top Middle East advisors, Brett McGurk and Amos Hochstein, to the region, with McGurk in Doha working on a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal.