Trump reiterates Hamas must reach deal before inauguration or face consequences
In his first news conference since his election victory six weeks ago, US President-elect Donald Trump reiterated that Hamas must reach a deal with Israel to release the remaining captives in Gaza before he takes office on January 20, or face the consequences.
Asked what actions would be taken against Hamas if this didn’t happen, Trump said the Palestinian group are going to “have to determine what that means” but “it’s not going to be pleasant”.
Trump made no mention of the more than 45,000 Palestinians killed during Israel’s assault on the besieged enclave since October 2023. On December 2, Trump issued a similar warning to Hamas, threatening that there would be “all hell to pay” if the captives weren’t released by his inauguration.
Biden vows to continue efforts to free Israeli captives
Speaking at his final Hanukkah party at the White House, the outgoing US president pledged to continue working to free the remaining captives held in Gaza until he leaves office.
“I’ve gotten over 100 hostages out. I will not stop until I get every single one of them home,” Biden said to cheers from the crowd.
The US leader, who will step down in January, also reiterated his belief that you don’t have to be Jewish to be a Zionist.
He declared, “I am a Zionist” to another round of applause.
You have killed over 13,000 children and dare to take credit for the one hostage exchange that should not have stopped. I hope to see the day to watch Biden stand trial, but that will likely will never happen. History will remember however.
US senators urge Palestinians be given protected status to stop deportations
A group of Democratic senators have urged the outgoing Biden administration to “promptly designate” the occupied Palestinian territory’s temporary protected status (TPS) to prevent deportations there.
The letter – co-signed by Senators Peter Welch, Tim Kaine, Bernie Sanders, Brian Schatz, Richard Durbin, Chris Van Hollen, Raphael Warnock and Tammy Duckworth – said that TPS “can and should be applied here to protect Palestinians present” in the US.
“Congress established the TPS to allow noncitizens who are unable to return home safely to remain in the United States for a temporary, but extendable, period,” the letter said. “The ongoing conflict in Gaza and the West Bank is precisely the kind of crisis Congress envisioned when crafting TPS,” it added.
On February 14, Biden granted Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) status to Palestine for 18 months, protecting individuals from deportation if they meet certain criteria. But the senators said the DED “may be insufficient in this instance” as it does not “offer the strongest possible protection” from deportation.
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