JAKARTA – A number of Israeli officials have welcomed US President-elect Donald Trump’s promise regarding the release of hostages in the Gaza Strip, Palestine.
Without mentioning any group, Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social that the hostages in Gaza should be released before his name on January 20. If he fails, Trump will threaten decisive action.
“Those who are responsible will be beaten harder than anyone who has ever been beaten in America’s long and progressive history,” he said, as quoted by Reuters on December 3.
Trump’s promise was responded to by a number of Israeli ministers and hostage families.
“It is refreshing to hear clear and moral statements that do not create false equality or call for discussion of “both sides”, but which will make it clearer who is good and who is bad,” said the Minister of Finance, Bezalel Smotrich.
“This is a way to bring back the hostages by increasing the pressure and cost on Hamas and its supporters, and beating them, rather than giving in to their demands without reason,” he said.
Foreign Minister Gideon Day only said to X: “Thank you President Trump.”
-Likewise, the families of the missing hostages expressed their gratitude. “Now it is clear to everyone: the time has come. We need to bring them home now,” the family forum said.
At least 250 people are known to have been entangled hostage and hostage in the Gaza Strip in an attack by a Hamas-led militant group on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, according to Israeli calculations. Some have been released, half are still in Gaza, although at least as if they had been killed.
Israel and Hamas themselves have been in negotiations since October 2023, but after the initial release of the hostages in November last year, little progress has been made with both sides blaming each other.
Separately, Gaza political analyst Ramiz Mogani said Trump’s threats were against Hamas and its Iranian supporters, warning that he would not only dare to expel Palestinians from the Gaza region, but also annex the West Bank occupied by Israel nearby.
“These statements have serious implications for Israel’s wars in Gaza and the West Bank,” he told Reuters.
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