President-elect Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, said on Tuesday that he hopes to have good things to report about the Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza by the time Trump is sworn in as president on January 20.
Witkoff, at a press conference held by Trump in Palm Beach, Florida, said, “I’m really hopeful that by the inaugural we’ll have some good things to announce on behalf of the president.”
“If the hostages are not back by the time I’m in office, all hell will break out in the Middle East, and it will not be good for Hamas, and it will not be good, frankly, for anyone,” Trump previously said of the Israeli hostages kidnapped by Hamas during the terror group’s October 7, 2023 attacks on southern Israel.
Trump, when asked about this warning on the Hugh Hewitt Podcast on Monday, responded, “That is exactly what I meant. If the hostages are not released by the time I take office, there will be hell—no ‘don’t,’ there will be hell. They need to be released now.”
“I am Israel’s best friend. I moved the embassy to Jerusalem—everything was good, including the Abraham Accords, and every major positive event in Israel recently was because of me. I must also note that I support peace—now is the time,” he continued.
Trump’s “don’t” comment appeared to be a jab at US President Joe Biden, who warned other actors in the region who were thinking of attacking Israel shortly after October 7.
“To anyone thinking of taking advantage of the situation, I have one word: ‘Don’t,'” Biden said from Israel on October 10, 2023.
Trump’s appointment of Witkoff
Trump appointed Witkoff, a close friend and confidant, as his administration’s Middle East envoy with the goal of securing a peace deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Trump reportedly also wants the deal to make progress toward resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, according to sources familiar with his thinking.
Walla contributed to this report.
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