US President-elect warned that "all hell will break out in the Middle East" if hostages held by Hamas in Gaza are not released before his inauguration on January 20, CNN reported. While addressing a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate in on Tuesday (local time), Trump said, "It will not be good for Hamas and it will not be good, frankly, for anyone. All hell will break out.
I don't have to say anymore, but that's what it is," adding that "there should have never been" the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on Israel. Steve Witkoff, who has been chosen by Trump to serve as the special envoy to the Middle East, expressed an optimistic view about the state of negotiations to reach a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that would secure the release of the hostages, saying negotiators are "making a lot of progress," CNN reported. He further said, "It's the president, his reputation, the things that he has said that are driving this negotiation, and so hopefully it'll all work out and we'll save some lives.
" Earlier, it was reported that officials were taking the lead in the talks, while their incoming Trump counterparts were being updated regarding the developments. A senior Biden administration office offered a much more cautious tone after Trump and Witkoff's statement. Speaking to CNN, the official stated that the negotiations remain difficult.
The official, who refused to speak about the status of the negotiations, insisted that despite Witkoff appearing to suggest that the.
