This week, President-elect Donald Trump addressed a large Republican gathering, stating,

"I had a good conversation with Bibi. We talked about what's coming and where things stand regarding the hostages." Trump then issued a direct warning to Hamas: "We want our hostages back. And they had better be back before I assume office, or you would pay a big price."

In response, media analyst @AdemeMedia tweeted, "I see the $100 million bribe Miriam Adelson (a US-Israeli citizen) paid him during the election campaign is already paying off for the Israelis." The analyst went on to call Trump "Israel's lapdog," a label many have associated with him since his initial run for office in 2016.

Meanwhile, grim images of Palestinian civilians rounded up by the Israeli military in Gaza have circulated online, showcasing the ongoing human suffering in the region.

The big question remains: What exactly will Trump do on January 20th if the hostages remain unreleased? Would he resort to extreme military action, risking further loss of life, including the hostages themselves? And, what can he accomplish that President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu have not done during the last 14 months of war in Gaza?

Trump’s controversial rhetoric doesn’t stop there. At the gathering, he declared, "If you hate America, if you want to eliminate Israel, then we don't want you in our country. Hamas supporters will be gone."

This statement was aimed at anti-genocide protesters speaking out against U.S. support for Israel’s actions in Gaza. However, opposing genocide and advocating for Palestinian rights do not equate to supporting Hamas—a distinction Trump appears unable or unwilling to make.

Moreover, Trump’s threat to expel individuals from the United States reveals his misunderstanding of constitutional rights. The First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech, and U.S. citizenship—whether by birth or naturalization—grants protection against arbitrary deportation. Trump’s statements echo similar controversies, like when Nikki Haley, former U.N. ambassador, once called for the deportation of U.S.-born Senator Raphael Warnock, a statement widely criticized as unconstitutional and un-American.

Diplomatic experts argue that Trump has a practical path to resolving the hostage crisis through direct negotiations with Hamas. Such an approach proved effective in November 2023, when Egypt and Qatar brokered a deal that resulted in Hamas releasing 105 hostages, including Israelis, Thais, and a Filipino.

In return, Israel freed 107 Palestinian detainees, most of whom were minors or had not been convicted of crimes. If Qatar and Egypt could mediate such a deal, why not the United States?

Critics suggest that Trump should abandon his reliance on Netanyahu and engage directly with Hamas, recognizing it as a legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. This would address the imbalance at the negotiating table, where Palestinians currently lack meaningful representation.

The U.S. media and public officials also perpetuate misconceptions, such as conflating Hamas with anti-American threats. For example:

• Hamas has never attacked the U.S.
• Hamas did not kill U.S. sailors, kidnap a former Marine, or murder journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.
• Hamas did not meddle in U.S. elections, steal U.S. technology, or blackmail American politicians.

By contrast, the Israeli military, often celebrated in the West, has engaged in actions such as the killing of U.S. citizens like peace activist Rachel Corrie and continues to benefit from $3.8 billion in U.S. aid annually.

Since October 7, 2023, public discourse has focused solely on the 1,200 Israelis killed and 250 hostages taken during Hamas's attack. In contrast, the plight of Palestinians—especially the 2.2 million residents of Gaza—receives little attention.

Before October 7, Israel already held 5,200 Palestinian political prisoners, including women, children, and four U.S. citizens. That number has now risen to 16,000, according to Palestinian politician Mustafa Barghouti.

If President-elect Trump genuinely wishes to resolve the hostage crisis, he must take bold diplomatic steps. He could follow the precedent set by President Eisenhower in 1957, who demanded that Israel, France, and Great Britain withdraw from Egypt during the Suez Crisis.

The same assertive approach could compel Netanyahu to end the war, withdraw Israeli forces from Gaza, and engage in a ceasefire.

As Trump prepares to assume office, the world watches to see whether he will continue his one-sided support for Israel or take a more balanced and effective approach to Middle East diplomacy.

Mahmoud El-Yousseph is a Palestinian freelancer for Islamicity.com and ColumbusFreePress.com. He can be reached at [email protected].