President-elect Donald Trump has warned that “all hell is going to break out” if the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, which is set to take effect Sunday morning, falls apart.
Less than 48 hours before returning to the White House, President Trump was asked if he thought hostages would be released by terrorist organizations under the three-phase agreement signed by both sides earlier this week, and the first captives to be released. It is scheduled to be done. It was released on Sunday afternoon.
“We'll see the situation soon, but it's better to keep it that way,” Trump said. NBC News.
President Trump told the same media outlet that he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “keep doing what you have to do.”
“'This has to end. We want this to end, but we want to keep doing what needs to be done,'” he told Israeli leaders.
He added that the two sides planned to meet “quite soon,” but gave no further details.
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn) announced the first step in an agreement between Israel and Hamas in which the terrorist organization would release 33 hostages during a six-week ceasefire in exchange for more than 1,900 casualties. He echoed President Trump's warning to take steps. Palestinian prisoners of war and detainees.
“President Trump has made it clear that 'hell will break out if the hostages are not returned.' It is in the best interest of everyone involved that all hostages are released and the terms of the ceasefire are met,” she said. post.
After news broke last week that Israel and Hamas had reached a three-phase agreement, outgoing President Biden and President Trump took credit for their accomplishments, but the current administration has pushed the deal for months to no avail. It was.
President Trump's special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, is credited with playing a key role in this breakthrough.
A senior Biden official previously told Reuters that a meeting between Witkoff and Prime Minister Netanyahu last week effectively “set everything in motion.”
However, this tenuous agreement was not accepted by all Israelis.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotlik, who voted against the deal, called it “terrible” and said he could not serve in a government that would “stop the war and not continue the war until we have a complete victory over Hamas,” the paper said. said. era of israel.
Israel's far-right Otzma Yehudit party, led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, announced on Saturday that several of its ministers would submit their resignations to the government on Sunday. According to the Jerusalem Post.
President Trump's press secretary did not respond to a request for comment.
Additional reporting by Jon Levine
