President-elect Donald Trump delivered a stark ultimatum to Hamas on Monday, calling for the immediate release of hostages abducted during the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack against Israel.
Hamas’ brutal assault resulted in the tragic deaths of approximately 1,200 civilians and injuries to 8,700 others. The extremist group kidnapped hundreds of hostages, including infants, women, and the elderly.
‘Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America.’
On Monday, the Israel Defense Forces announced that Omer Neutra, a 21-year-old American-Israeli dual citizen who was previously thought to be a hostage, was actually murdered during the October 7 attack.
It is believed that three American hostages — Eden Alexander, 21; Keith Siegel, 65; and Sagui Dekel-Chen, 35 — are still alive and being held by Hamas more than a year later.
The terror organization released a propaganda video on Saturday that showed Alexander alive and, while under duress, calling for Trump to “use your influence and the full power of the United States to negotiate our freedom.” The footage warned that “time is running out.”
Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social, “Everybody is talking about the hostages who are being held so violently, inhumanely, and against the will of the entire World, in the Middle East – But it’s all talk, and 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 declared.
“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!” he demanded.
In October, the Israeli government confirmed that it killed Yahya Sinwar, the head of Hamas who was one of the masterminds behind last year’s attack.
Over the weekend, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told “Face the Nation” that he believes the terror organization is “feeling the pressure.”
“They’re feeling the pressure because one of their main partners in crime here, Hezbollah, has now cut a ceasefire deal,” Sullivan stated. “They’re feeling the pressure, of course, because their top leader, Sinwar, has been killed. So they may be looking anew at the possibility of getting a ceasefire and hostage deal.”
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