As news broke Monday that 21-year-old American Omer Neutra had been killed in the Oct. 7 attack in Israel, renewed attention was directed to the plight of the hostages still believed to be held by Hamas in Gaza. President-elect Trump was one of those weighing in, and he made clear his intentions should Hamas not release the hostages by the time he heads to the Oval Office for the second time, reports Barron's. "[I]f 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 posted on Truth Social on Monday afternoon.
The future commander in chief added: "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!" The New York Times notes that about 100 hostages remain in captivity; about a third of them are believed to be dead. In his post, Trump also decried the "all talk and no action" he says is currently going on, an ostensible slam against the Biden administration.
President Biden's team has been working since the attack with Israel and mediators from such nations as Egypt and Qatar to achieve a ceasefire that would result in the hostages' release. Those talks have repeatedly stalled. Still, "it was not clear what tactic Mr. Trump might take that has not already been taken ... by Israel, which has killed many of Hamas' leaders and thousands of its fighters, while leveling much of Gaza," the Times notes. (More President-elect Trump stories.)