President Trump urged Hamas to release hostages in Gaza, warning that “things will change rapidly” if the captives are not freed immediately.
The president did not clarify what "end" he meant or what actions he would take if hostages were released.
“Tell Hamas to IMMEDIATELY give back all 20 Hostages (Not 2 or 5 or 7!), and things will change rapidly. IT WILL END!”
Trump wrote on
his social media company, Truth Social.
After Hamas attacked Israel over the border on October 7, 2023, about 250 hostages were abducted to Gaza.
According to Tel Aviv, 20 of the 50 Israeli hostages who are currently in Gaza are still alive. Rights organizations claim that over 10,800 Palestinians are being tortured, malnourished, and medically neglected while detained in Israeli prisons.
Since October 2023, Israel has killed around 64,000 Palestinians in Gaza. The famine-stricken enclave has been decimated by the military campaign.
For war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November.
Because of its war on the enclave, Israel is also facing a genocide prosecution at the International Court of Justice.
Since Israel broke a deal in March, international efforts to
achieve a ceasefire have so far been unsuccessful.
How would US pressure alter Israel's planned Gaza operations?
The government of the US, under Donald Trump, has mostly taken a position that it will let Israel determine its approach to Gaza as it wishes, showing deference to Israeli sovereignty over if it wants to make a complete occupation or control of Gaza City.
Diplomatic statements show distance from the position with far more recent vocal involvement, to take a reportedly hands off approach, and in some ways having implicit support, or acquiescence on military plans from the US.
Critics and analysts comment that, despite the presence of
US military aid, supply of weapons, and diplomatic cover as part of the Israeli
enabling process, US pressure at that level with the same speed could be quite
effective if deployed forcefully.