"The big picture: There are still 101 hostages being held in Gaza by Hamas, including seven American citizens. Israeli intelligence services believe roughly half of them are still alive." . . .
Kfir Bibas, youngest hostage and family members are dead |
"More than 100 hostages, including many American citizens, have been held by the terror group Hamas since the October 7th attacks on Israel.
" 'The Biden/Harris administration has done little to nothing to get these people released safely and some of them have already been killed. Trump is planning to change that and has already signaled that he wants the hostages released by Inauguration Day.
" 'Anyone who remembers Trump’s first administration will recall that Trump has an extremely successful record on bringing home Americans being held abroad.
"This news comes via Senator Lindsey Graham, speaking to Axios:
Exclusive: Trump wants Gaza ceasefire deal before inauguration, Graham says
President-elect Trump wants to see a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza before he assumes office on Jan. 20, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) told Axios in an interview.
Why it matters: Getting a Gaza deal is one of President Biden’s top priorities during his last two months in office, but the lack of any clear progress in recent weeks suggests it might land on Trump’s plate.
– Israeli officials believe the Trump administration might take a different approach to Gaza, specifically on what the “day after” the war would look like.
– But Graham — who speaks with Trump frequently and advises him on foreign policy, especially on the Middle East — said Trump wants a deal to free the hostages and end the war as soon as possible, preferably before he takes office.