President-elect Trump reiterated that “all hell will break out” if the hostages still held in Gaza have not been freed by the time he enters office in two weeks on Jan. 20. 

Trump was asked about the threats he first levied in early December at the Hamas terrorist organization that has continued to hold some 96 hostages, only 50 of whom are still assessed to be alive, including three Americans. 

“All hell will break out,” Trump said, speaking alongside Steve Witkoff, special envoy to the Middle East and who has begun participating in cease-fire negotiations alongside the Biden administration and leaders from Egypt, Qatar, Israel and Hamas. 

(Seven American hostages are being held in Gaza. From left, Edan Alexander, Sagui Dekel-Chen, Keith Siegel, Omer Neutra, Judi Weinstein Haggai, Gadi Haggai and Itay Chen, of whom three are still believed to be alive.)

Witkoff said he would be heading to the Middle East either Tuesday night or Wednesday to continue cease-fire negotiations. 

In the weeks leading up to the Christmas and Hanukkah holidays, there was a renewed sense of optimism that a cease-fire could finally be on the horizon after a series of talks over the prior 14 months had not only failed to bring the hostages home, but saw a mounting number of hostages killed in captivity. Once again, though, no deal was pushed through before the New Year. 

After nearly 460 days since the hostages were first taken in Gaza in the aftermath of the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, Witkoff appeared to be holding onto hope that a deal could be secured in the near future. 

Steve Witkoff, speaks during a campaign event for former President Trump at Madison Square Garden in New York, on Oct. 27, 2024. (Adam Gray/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“I think that we’ve had some really great progress. And I’m really hopeful that by the inaugural, we’ll have some good things to announce on behalf of the president,” Witkoff told reporters. “I actually believe that we’re working in tandem in a really good way. But it’s the president – his reputation, the things that he has said that are driving this negotiation and so, hopefully, it’ll all work out and we’ll save some lives.”

In addition to the roughly 50 people believed to be alive and in Hamas captivity, the terrorist group is believed to be holding at least 38 who were taken hostage and then killed while in captivity, as well as at least seven who are believed to have been killed on Oct. 7, 2023, and then taken into Gaza.