A week before his inauguration, President-elect Donald Trump speaks out on apparent breakthrough in hostage deal talks, says an agreement ‘must get done,’ warning of ‘trouble like they have never seen before’ if negotiations fail.
By David Rosenberg, World Israel News
President-elect Donald Trump warned of unprecedented repercussions should negotiators in Doha, Qatar fail to secure a hostage deal and ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
Speaking with Newsmax on Monday night a week before his inauguration, the former president and president-elect confirmed reports from earlier in the day which claimed the Doha talks were closer than ever to achieving a deal.
“We’re very close to getting it done – and they have to get it done,” Trump said.
Echoing his previous warnings regarding the failure to free the remaining 98 hostages, the incoming president hinted at “trouble” if the two sides do not achieve an agreement.
“If they don’t get it done, there’s going to be a lot of trouble out there – a lot of trouble like they have never seen before,” Trump warned.
But the president-elect also expressed optimism at the prospects of an agreement being inked in the near future, saying that there had been a “handshake” between the two sides.
“They will get it done. I understand there’s been a handshake and they’re getting it finished and maybe by the end of the week. But it has to take place.”
Multiple Israeli media outlets, along with Reuters and The Associated Press, reported Monday that a breakthrough had been achieved in the talks, and that the Qatari mediators had penned a final draft of a potential agreement.
The draft, officials cited by the reports said, has been sent to Israeli leaders and the Hamas politburo for final approval, with Hamas’ leadership reportedly the deciding factor.
According to Israeli reports, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been pressuring Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and his Religious Zionist Party not to bolt the government should a deal be reached.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir is expected to resign, taking his Otzma Yehudit out of the government if the deal now under consideration is ratified, leaving the government with a slim majority of 62 seats.