Axios reports that among the first tests of Donald Trump's dealings in the Middle East for his upcoming term will be the issue of the remaining 101 hostages in Gaza. Trump was allegedly surprised to learn that Israel believes half of them to still be alive, and President Isaac Herzog urged him to act quickly to recover them.
Trump may be able to work to free the hostages even before taking office, as President Joe Biden has offered to work together on the matter as part of the preparations for transition. He has warned Hamas that 'the hostages had better be back by the time I'm in office.' Some close associates believe that Trump is looking to replicate the moment when 52 Americans who were held by Iran for 444 days were released in 1981, immediately following Reagan's inauguration.
The effort to free the hostages is expected to form part of a larger policy Trump has touted of promising to more aggressively oppose Iran and its allies. The policy is expected to come with significantly reduced opposition to Israel, although Trump has repeatedly stated that he wants the war to end quickly.
The main challenge Trump faces will be that Prime Minister Netanyahu has thus far rejected any further deals being offered. One of the most commonly suggested proposals, in which the hostages are released in exchange for an end to the war, has been explicitly rejected by Netanyahu, and will oblige Trump and his administration to try to execute a more complex alternative.