U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who was selected as Time magazine’s "Person of the Year," was asked in an interview with the outlet about the war in Gaza. "He [Netanyahu] knows I want it to end,” Trump said. When asked if he trusts Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump paused before saying, "I don't trust anybody."
The new president-elect was also questioned about the chances of a war with Iran. "Anything can happen." The magazine noted that Trump had previously boasted about avoiding wars during his first term but acknowledged that such a conflict might be necessary during his upcoming term, which is set to begin in January.
Talking about the Russia-Ukraine war, Trump said he intends to broker an agreement. "The only way you're going to reach an agreement is not to abandon [Ukraine]. It's crazy what's taking place," he said.
He criticized Kyiv for using American-made missiles to strike Russian territory last month but tempered his earlier campaign promise to mediate a peace agreement within 24 hours. “I think the Middle East is going to get solved. I think it's more complicated than the Russia-Ukraine, but I think it's easier to solve,” he said.
Reports on Wednesday detailed understandings that Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer reached with Trump’s team, ensuring Israel's interests in Gaza are safeguarded after a hostage deal, akin to the arrangement with Lebanon. This contrasts with Trump’s expressed desire to "end," the war as he said in the interview.
Those involved in the negotiations with Hamas describe the process as serious and optimistic, though no resolution is expected in the immediate future. It might take two to three weeks for a decision to be reached.
Trump, for his part, has issued an ultimatum to Hamas, saying there would be "all hell to pay" if hostages held in Gaza aren’t released by the time he returns to the White House. Following his declaration, mediators reported increased flexibility from Hamas, though no concrete evidence supports this claim.
This wasn’t the first time the incoming president addressed the hostage situation. In an interview with NBC, Trump speculated that the number of living hostages in Gaza is likely much lower than Israel estimates. He stressed that this was his opinion and not based on updated intelligence. "I’m not a big believer in the fact that there are too many of them living, sadly," Trump said.
Trump on hostages in NBC interview
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When asked if he’d pressure Netanyahu to end the war in Gaza, Trump replied, "Yeah, sure. I want him to end it but you have to have a victory. People forget about October 7. That was as violent. I noticed that a lot of people are saying, ‘Oh, it never really happened.’ That’s like the Holocaust.”
“Now you have October 7 deniers and it just happened. No, October 7 happened. And I’ve seen the pictures. What happened is horrible,” Trump said.