President-elect Donald Trump has issued a stark demand for the immediate release of up to 100 Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
Taking to social media, Trump warned that failure to free the hostages before his inauguration in January would result in “HELL TO PAY.”
On his Truth Social platform, Trump said if the hostages were not released, “Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW!”
Brandon Bell/AP
While Trump’s statement did not clarify whether he intends to involve the U.S. military directly, his words signal a hard-line stance. The U.S. has already played a critical role in supporting Israel during its nearly 15-month conflict with Hamas, providing substantial military aid and diplomatic backing.
Ohad Zwigenberg/AP
Israeli Hostage Declared Dead
Hours earlier, the Israeli government confirmed the death of Omer Neutra, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, whose body is reportedly still held by Hamas in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s office declined to comment on Trump’s recent statement, but President Isaac Herzog publicly welcomed the remarks.
Meanwhile, Israel launched its most extensive airstrikes on Lebanon on Monday since last week’s ceasefire with Hezbollah, resulting in at least 11 fatalities. Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported that the Israeli airstrikes on Monday targeted villages in the south of the country.
Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, issued a stark warning Tuesday, stating that if the fragile ceasefire with Hezbollah collapses, Israel will expand its military operations to target the Lebanese state itself.
Addressing troops stationed on the northern border, Katz emphasized, “Any violations of the agreement will be met with a maximum response and zero tolerance.” He further warned that if hostilities resume, Israel’s strikes will extend beyond Hezbollah-controlled areas, with no exceptions made for Lebanon as a whole.
Has Hezbollah Breached Its Ceasefire With Israel?
The strikes followed a volley of projectiles fired by Hezbollah at Mount Dov area of northern Israel. The projectiles marked the first direct action by Hezbollah against Israeli forces since the 60-day ceasefire began last Wednesday. The truce, already showing signs of strain, was intended to end over a year of conflict between Hezbollah and Israel.
Hezbollah said in a statement that it fired on an Israeli military position in the area as a “defensive and warning response” after what it called “repeated violations” of the ceasefire deal by Israel. It said complaints to mediators tasked with monitoring the ceasefire “were futile in stopping these violations.”
Before Hezbollah’s projectile launches, Israel conducted a series of airstrikes and an artillery barrage in southern Lebanon, including a drone strike that killed a motorcyclist, according to Lebanese state media. Another airstrike reportedly killed a corporal in the Lebanese security forces.
Pavel Nemecek CTK/AP
Why Are There Still Clashes Between Israel and Hezbollah Despite the Ceasefire?
Israel claimed its recent actions were a response to unspecified violations of the ceasefire by Hezbollah, asserting that the truce agreement permits retaliation. Meanwhile, Lebanon’s Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri accused Israel of breaching the ceasefire over 50 times in recent days, citing airstrikes, the destruction of homes near the border, and repeated violations of Lebanese airspace.
U.S. officials, who alongside France helped broker the ceasefire and lead the commission monitoring its implementation, downplayed the affect of the recent clashes. White House National Security Spokesman John Kirby stated, “Largely speaking, the ceasefire is holding,” emphasizing that the broader agreement remains intact despite the escalating tensions.
How Did the Current Conflict Faced by Israel Begin?
The current conflict began on Oct. 7, 2023, after Hamas launched a deadly assault into Israel, killing around 1,200 people—mostly civilians—and taking 250 hostages.
In Gaza, over a year of Israeli military action against Hamas has resulted in more than 43,000 deaths, according to Palestinian health authorities. While health officials in Gaza do not separate civilian and combatant deaths, they report that over half the casualties were women and children.
Iran-backed Hezbollah began launching rockets into Israel in solidarity with Hamas, which is also backed by Iran. What started as low-level clashes escalated into full-blown war after Israel’s ground invasion of Lebanon began on Oct. 1.
Since then, the conflict has devastated Lebanon, with more than 3,760 killed and 1.2 million displaced, according to Lebanese authorities. Israel claims over 2,000 Hezbollah fighters have been killed, while on the Israeli side, approximately 90 soldiers and nearly 50 civilians have been killed by rockets, drones, and missiles in northern Israel and during ground fighting in Lebanon. Around 50,000 residents remain displaced from the north of Israel.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press
