NEWSMAX | Published November 30, 2029
President-elect Donald Trump wants a hostage deal and ceasefire between Israel and Hamas terrorists completed in Gaza before he takes office on Jan. 20, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told Axios on Friday.
That would put the onus on the Biden administration to accomplish something it’s been working on — unsuccessfully — for months.
“Trump is more determined than ever to release the hostages and supports a ceasefire that includes a hostage deal. He wants to see it happening now,” Graham told Axios. “I hope President Trump and the Biden administration will work together during the transition period to release the hostages and get a ceasefire.”
Hamas continues to hold 101 hostages — including seven American citizens — and roughly half are alive, Israeli intelligence reportedly believes.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that “the conditions have very much changed for the better” for a hostage deal without offering specifics. He made the statement in an interview with Israel’s Channel 14. President Joe Biden announced a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah terrorists on Tuesday, which was promptly violated by Iran’s proxies in Lebanon, Israel said Thursday.
The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that Egyptian officials have told Hamas they are now isolated in wake of the Israel-Hezbollah truce, encouraging them to get a deal done. A Hamas delegation is headed to Cairo on Saturday to discuss new Egyptian ideas for a ceasefire deal, according to Axios.
Graham spoke to Axios after returning from a trip to the Middle East, where he met with Netanyahu and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, according to the report.
“The best insurance policy against Hamas is not an Israeli reoccupation of Gaza but a reform in the Palestinian society. The only ones who can do that are the Arab countries,” Graham told Axios.
He added that Trump will have leverage once he takes office given the fear factor.
“If you are a bad guy and you are not afraid of Trump then you are also a dumb guy. Bad and dumb guys don’t last long,” Graham told Axios.
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SOURCE: www.newsmax.com
https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/graham-trump-gaza/2024/11/29/id/1189828/
RELATED: Trump wants Gaza ceasefire deal before inauguration, Graham says
Trump with Sen. Lindsey Graham at the White House in 2019. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images
AXIOS | Published November 30, 2029
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.
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.
More than 44,000 Palestinians have been killed in more than a year of war, according to the Gaza health ministry.
“Trump is more determined than ever to release the hostages and supports a ceasefire that includes a hostage deal. He wants to see it happening now,” Graham said.
“I want people in Israel and in the region to know that Trump is focused on the hostages issue. He wants the killing to stop and the fighting to end.”
He added: “I hope President Trump and the Biden administration will work together during the transition period to release the hostages and get a ceasefire.”
Driving the news: Graham spoke to Axios after returning from his a visit to the Middle East, his second this month, in which he met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Graham contended that Trump needs a deal in Gaza before he can focus on his key foreign policy objectives in the region, like Israel-Saudi normalization and a regional alliance against Iran.
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SOURCE: www.axios.com
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