On December 3, 2024, Donald Trump, the elected President of the United States, demanded the release of hostages held in Gaza. In a statement on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump threatened the terrorist group Hamas, asserting that if the hostages were not freed before January 20, 2025, the day he assumes the presidency, there would be severe consequences in the Middle East.
Trump emphasized that those responsible for the hostage situation would face significant repercussions, declaring, 'Release the hostages now.' The conflict escalated on October 7, 2023, when Hamas and other Islamist groups killed approximately 1,200 people in Israel and took over 250 hostages, with around 100 believed to still be held in Gaza. Experts estimate that 50 to 60 of these hostages are likely alive, with several holding dual citizenship, including Israeli and American.
The Israeli Defense Forces announced on December 2, 2024, that another hostage had been killed in Gaza. The individual, a soldier born in New York, was 21 years old at the time of his abduction and was reportedly killed during the initial attack on October 7. The U.S. government confirmed that he also held American citizenship, having grown up in the U.S. before joining the Israeli military.
Efforts by the Biden administration, along with regional allies, to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas have been largely unsuccessful. Hamas demands an end to hostilities and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza as a precondition for the release of the hostages.
According to Hamas health officials, the ongoing conflict has resulted in over 44,460 deaths in Gaza since its onset, although this figure has not been independently verified.