Donald Trump inauguration | ‘Rules to change': Anti-ceasefire Israeli group's warning to Hamas

On Sunday, Hamas released the first three Israeli hostages, kickstarting the first phase of the ceasefire agreement with Israel.

Published on: Jan 20, 2025, 19:47:33 IST

By HT News Desk, New Delhi

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A day after Hamas released the first three Israeli hostages, kickstarting the first phase of the ceasefire agreement with Israel, an Israeli group opposed to a deal with Hamas told the group ‘rules are about to change,’ ahead of the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump on Monday.

Donald Trump will assume office as US President on Monday.

Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, had participated in the Israel-Hamas negotiations brokered by the outgoing Joe Biden administration, as well as Qatar and Egypt.

"Hamas has to realise that the rules are about to change in the Middle East and that it's time to bring back the hostages immediately," the Tikva Forum group said in a statement.

Weeks ago, Tikva Forum, a campaign group of hostage relatives, had put up a huge banner bearing the Republican leader's image, in Tel Aviv's commercial Sarona district.

The banner shows Trump, with a caption: “ALL OF THEM UNTIL THE 20.1 -- OR THE FIRE OF HELL WILL OPEN.”

In December, Trump had warned of ‘hell’ if, by his inauguration (January 20, 2025), Hamas did not release the dozens of Israeli abductees held by it since its October 7, 2023 attack that triggered the Gaza war.

As many as 251 Israelis were abducted by Hamas, with 91 hostages still in Gaza.

'Trump, thank you for handling this'

In the lead-up to Trump's swearing-in, red caps, similar to the ones worn by his supporters, have been handed out at protests for release of Israeli hostages.

However, unlike Trump supporters' ‘Make America Great Again’ caps, the ones worn in Israel read: ‘End this fuc*ing war.’

Demonstrators carried posters that read: ‘Trump, thank you for handling this,’ ‘President Trump, bring them home,’ and 'Make Israel normal again.'

"My only hope is that he can finish this war. This is what we want," a protestor said in Jerusalem.

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