Steve Witkoff meets Qatari officials in Doha as president-elect warns of ‘hell to pay’ without Israel-Hamas deal

Israel is considering limiting humanitarian aid to Gaza after Donald Trump comes into office later this month in a bid to deprive Hamas of resources, according to an Israeli official familiar with the matter.

Donald Trump threatened to unleash “hell” if the Hamas hostages are not released soon, as Biden officials note “constructive” discussions with the transition team.

President-elect Donald Trump warned that if the hostages whom Hamas is still holding in Gaza are not released by his inauguration on January 20, “all hell will break out in the Middle East” – offering one more stark indication of how much the incoming president would prefer to avoid inheriting the Israel-Hamas war as he prepares to take office in less than two weeks.

Steve Witkoff, Trump’s incoming Middle East envoy, told reporters that “good progress” had been made toward a deal that would free Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

Standing next to his envoy to the Middle East, President-elect Donald Trump told reporters he wants hostages released from Gaza before his Jan. 20 inauguration.