Abu Dhabi:
Donald Trump's Middle East envoy warned on Monday during a visit to the region that it would be “not a good day” if the hostages in Gaza were not released before the inauguration of the new US president.
Steve Witkoff, who will formally take up the position when Trump's administration begins, said he hoped and prayed that a ceasefire would be reached in Gaza between the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel before Trump takes power on January 20 would come.
“You heard what the president said: They better be released,” he said, referring to Mr. Trump.
“Listen to what the president has to say. It is not a good day if they are not released,” Witkoff added in response to questions from Reuters on the sidelines of a bitcoin conference in Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital.
President-elect Trump said on social media last week that there would be “hell” if the hostages were not released before his inauguration.
Hamas-led militants killed 1,200 people and captured more than 250, including Israeli-American dual nationals, during their attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, according to Israeli figures.
More than a hundred hostages have been released through negotiations or Israeli military rescue operations. Of the 101 still held in Gaza, about half are alive.
More than 44,700 people have been killed in the attack Israel launched in response to Gaza, authorities in the Hamas-held area say. Thousands of others are feared dead under the rubble.
Mr Witkoff previously addressed an audience at the Bitcoin conference, where attendees paid as much as $9,999 for access to special sessions closed to the media.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Our staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
