US President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday (Dec 31) warned Palestinian militant group Hamas to release hostages held captive in Gaza before he takes office.

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Reiterating his ultimatum, Trump while speaking to a reporter on if he spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the possibility of a ceasefire and hostage deal said, “We’re gonna see what happens, I’ll put it this way: they better let the hostages come back soon.”

This comes after Trump took to his official Truth Social handle and issued a stern warning to Hamas to release the hostages before Jan 20, the day when he assumes office, or else there will be "all hell to pay" in the Middle East.

“Everybody is talking about the hostages who are being held so violently, inhumanely, and against the will of the entire World, in the Middle East - But it’s all talk, and no action! Please let this Truth serve to represent that if the hostages are not released prior to January 20, 2025, the date that I proudly assume Office as President of the United States, there will be all hell to pay in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against Humanity”, he wrote.

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Also read: New Year begins in West Asia with Houthi missile attacks on Israel; one intercepted

"Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied history of the United States of America. Release the hostages now!," he added.

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Israel kills Hamas commander who led Oct 7 attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz

Meanwhile, The Israeli army on Tuesday (Dec 31) said that they eliminated Hamas' Nukhba Platoon commander, Abd al-Hadi Sabah in a drone strike that was conducted recently.

Sabah, according to the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), was the leader of the Oct 7, 2023, attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz.

The Nukhba Platoon commander in Hamas' Western Khan Yunis Battalion was killed in the Khan Yunis area of southern Gaza, said the IDF in a statement.

Taking to their official X handle, the IDF said, "Abd al-Hadi Sabah, a Nukhba Platoon Commander in the Western Khan Yunis Battalion was eliminated in an intelligence-based IDF and ISA strike."

(With inputs from agencies)