Steve Witkoff, President-elect Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, said on Tuesday that he was “really hopeful” that they were “on the verge of a deal” to announce the return of the hostages by Inauguration Day.

"I think that we've had some really great progress, and I'm really hopeful that by the inaugural, we'll have some good things to announce on behalf of the president," Steve Witkoff said.

The president-elect did not elaborate on what actions he might take if the captives are not released by the time he takes office.

Relatives of the seven American hostages held in Gaza will attend Donald Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, representatives of the families said. The announcement Wednesday comes as Trump and outgoing President Joe Biden are both working to close a ceasefire deal in Gaza that would free some of the nearly 100 hostages,

President-elect Donald Trump is threatening the terror group Hamas to release its remaining hostages in Gaza before his inauguration Jan. 20.

The incoming administration is pushing hard for Hamas to release remaining hostages, with President-elect Donald Trump vowing Tuesday that “all hell will break out in the Middle East” if the hostages aren’t released by his inauguration in less than two weeks.