Trump met with a former Hamas hostage and said he is working hard to free all hostages

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump met on Monday with Yehudit Raanan, an Israeli-American citizen who was abducted by Hamas along with her daughter during the October 7 attack and released two weeks later as part of a ceasefire agreement.

During the meeting at the 13th conference of the Chabad Lubavitch Hasidic Jewish movement in Palm Beach, Florida, Raanan, a guest of honor, presented Trump with a painting of King David's mother, which she had painted herself. She also shared her traumatic experiences as a hostage of the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Trump thanked Raanan for her presence and told the audience that he is working diligently to secure the release of all hostages. He once again warned Hamas, as he has recently, that it would be in their best interest to return all hostages before he assumes office on January 20.

Progress toward a possible ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas

Saudi news channel Al-Arabiya reported on Tuesday that Hamas handed over to Egypt, which is mediating ceasefire negotiations, a list of Israeli hostages who could be released if a ceasefire agreement is reached.

The report follows an earlier claim by the Saudi outlet, which cited sources close to the matter, that progress was being made in secret negotiations aimed at reaching a treaty between the two sides.

The London-based Qatari newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported that the list submitted by Hamas included the names of four U.S. hostages, as well as four others who are elderly or suffering from medical conditions.