Eyes on Trump… This is what he might do if Hamas keeps Israel hostages

January 13, 2025

US President-elect Donald Trump threatened hell in the Middle East if the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) did not release prisoners in Gaza before his inauguration on January 20.


Trump sent his Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, to the region as part of last-minute efforts to pressure the parties involved in the negotiations to conclude the agreement before the specified time.

This is how both Foreign Policy magazine and Axios touched on the issue of the expected deal in Gaza. The magazine said that Trump threatened to unleash hell on Hamas if it did not accept an agreement before he was inaugurated as president, and said that “it will not be good for Hamas, and it will not be good for anyone.” honestly”.

However, the magazine wondered – in a report written by its correspondent Jan Haltiwanger – what Trump might do if Hamas did not do what he requested, noting that he did not clarify what his words meant, nor did he explain the steps he would take.

It should be noted that Trump’s warnings come during one of the most chaotic periods in the Middle East, and therefore raise questions about the extent of Trump’s willingness to engage in conflicts in the region, since he pledged during the election campaign “not to launch new wars.”

Limited pressure

The magazine quoted intelligence officer Jonathan Bannikov as saying, “Trump’s threat is aimed at convincing Hamas that it is likely to get a better deal with the outgoing administration of President Joe Biden than with the incoming Trump administration, and so it must conclude a deal now.”

He pointed out the limited means of additional pressure that the Trump administration can put on Hamas in Gaza, other than supporting more Israeli strikes in the Strip.

Retired General Joseph Votel told the magazine that Trump’s setting of a strict deadline for the release of the prisoners is an attempt “to put more pressure on the process and create a sense of urgency.”

He added that Trump is unlikely to resort to military force and may increase his support for Israeli military activities in Gaza, but with “the level of devastation we have already seen in the Strip, it is difficult to see what more can be done.”

The magazine believed that one of the possible steps that Trump might take is to support Israel in imposing increasing restrictions on humanitarian aid in the Strip, although this is likely to lead to local and international criticism, is politically untenable, and may not affect Hamas at all.

In this context, Axios said that Trump’s envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, arrived in Israel from Qatar, as part of last-minute efforts to pressure all parties involved in the negotiations to conclude the agreement before January 20.

A senior Israeli official said that Witkopf confirmed to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday Trump’s goal of reaching an agreement at the time he specified.

Optimism

Witkopf met with Netanyahu and members of the Israeli negotiating team, and were joined – according to Netanyahu’s office – by Biden’s Middle East advisor, Brett McGurk, who is in Doha, by phone to discuss the status of the negotiations. At the end of the meeting, Netanyahu issued instructions to Mossad Director David Barnea, Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar, and General Nitzan Alon of the Israeli army was requested to travel to Doha immediately in order to advance the deal.

Another senior Israeli official said that Witkopf stressed the goal of Inauguration Day several times during consultations with Netanyahu and the Israeli negotiating team, and added, “Witkopf is playing a decisive role in the negotiations now, and is being pressured by Trump.”

The Israeli official indicated – according to Axios – that the gaps in the negotiations between Hamas and Israel have narrowed in recent days, but some gaps still remain, and he said that the two parties have not yet reached the “area of ​​agreement,” but they are very close to it.

Former US envoy to the Middle East Dennis Ross told Foreign Policy that the reason he puts the success of the deal at a level better than 50% is the influence of Trump, and added: “Hamas may want to conclude the deal shortly before January 20, with the belief that a ceasefire “The fire before Trump took office makes him unwilling to see a renewed war after he takes office.”

If an agreement is reached – according to Axios – the first phase may include the release of 33 prisoners, some of whom are still alive and some of whom have died. It is also expected that the first phase will include a ceasefire in Gaza for a period ranging between 6 and 7 weeks and the release of hundreds of prisoners. Palestinians, including those who killed Israelis. (Al Jazeera Net)


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