Trump demands return of Israeli hostages by January 20 or 'all hell will break out in Middle East'

7 January 2025, 17:50 | Updated: 7 January 2025, 18:21

Donald Trump has demanded the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas before he comes to power on January 20 or 'all hell will break loose'.

The incoming president made the remarks during a lengthy speech from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, labelling the Republicans party the party of "common sense".

"All hell will break out in Middle East if hostages aren't returned by time I'm in office," Trump stated during the speech on Tuesday.

It comes just hours after Donald Trump lost a last-ditch bid to halt this week's sentencing in his hush money case ahead of his return to power.

The President-elect added that during his first stint as president, the US "had no wars" - at one point, adding that he "saved NATO".

"Now I'm going into a world that's burning," the President-elect told waiting media, highlighting both the war in Ukraine and the war between Israel and Hamas.

It's a speech which saw the incoming president touch on a host of topics, including trade with Canada and Mexico, defence spending and Russia.

Read more: Israel and Hamas 'nearing ceasefire' as peace in Gaza 'closer than ever'

Read more: Winston Churchill’s grandson labels civilian suffering in Gaza ‘institutionalised cruelty’

It comes just three weeks after Israel and Hamas were said to be moving closer to a Gaza ceasefire deal, despite Benjamin Netanyahu rejecting reports he is heading to Cairo for talks.

He also referenced New York businessman Steven Witkoff, who Trump has chosen as his special envoy to the Middle East.

He explained that Witkoff is "working specifically" on talks in Doha on Israeli hostages in Gaza.

It comes as 96 hostages remain unaccounted for after being abducted by Hamas at the Nova music festival in Israel.

The incident triggered the start of war between Israel and Hamas, with an estimated 45,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza since the start of the conflict.

Covering a host of topics during his speech, the also referenced the war in Ukraine would never have broken out under his leadership, firmly putting the blame at Biden's front door.

Beckoning his special envoy to the podium, Witkoff said "good progress has been made" as part of his talks in Doha.

"I'm really hopeful that by the inauguration we'll have some good things to announce on behalf of the president," he told waiting media.

Adding: "Hopefully it will all work out and we will save some lives."

Asked if a deal is possible before inauguration day on 20 January, Witkoff said: "I don't know anyone who delegates better than Trump."

Trump then added: "If those hostages aren't back by the time I get into office, which is in a couple of weeks, all hell will break out in the Middle East."

Touching on negotiations, he added that "great negotiators are very rare, like a great surgeon".

It comes as Trump recounted "fathers crying" after their children were abducted by Hamas on October 7, 2023.

Describing footage he'd seen, the President said Hamas threw one kidnap victim into his car "like a sack of potatoes".

During his speech, Trump touched on a range of subjects including the ongoing subject of Tariffs, Greenland and increased defence spending.

At one point, Trump declared he "saved NATO" - as he called for an increase in defence spending to 5% by member nations.

On December 17, after months of deadlock, encouraging signs pointed towards a ceasefire deal and hostage release deal nearing.

A senior Palestinian official involved in the indirect negotiations said talks were in a "decisive and final phase" - however, an iron-clad deal is yet to materialise.