U.S. President-elect Donald Trump warned that there would be "hell to pay" in the Middle East if Hamas did not release the hostages before he formally takes office on Jan. 20.
During their deadly 2023 attack on Israel, Hamas captured more than 250 people, according to Israeli tallies, including dual Israeli-American nationals.
Around half of the 101 foreign and Israeli hostages still held incommunicado in Gaza are believed to be alive.
Making his most explicit comments on the fate of the hostages since his election in November, Trump said on social media:
"the hostages are not released prior to January 20, 2025, the date that I proudly assume Office as President of the United States, there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against Humanity."
Trump added: "Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America."
Hamas has called for an end to the war and total Israeli withdrawal from Gaza as part of any deal to release remaining hostages.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the war will go on until Hamas is eradicated and poses no more threat to Israel.
On Monday, Hamas said that 33 hostages in Gaza had been killed since Oct. 7.
Israel has continued a brutal offensive on Gaza since an attack in early last October despite a U.N. Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.
The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the territory’s entire population amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine.
Israel faces accusations of genocide for its actions in Gaza at the International Court of Justice.
