Israeli military strikes across Gaza killed at least 22 people on Wednesday, Palestinian medics said, as the U.S. stepped up efforts to overcome sticking points between Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire to end the war.

At least 19 Palestinians, including eight children, were killed in Israeli air strikes in southern Gaza overnight, local health officials say. A mother and her four children were reportedly killed when a tent camp for displaced people in al-Mawasi was hit, while another a couple and their children died in the nearby city of Khan Younis.

Donald Trump threatened to unleash “hell” if the Hamas hostages are not released soon, as Biden officials note “constructive” discussions with the transition team.

President-elect Donald Trump warned that if the hostages whom Hamas is still holding in Gaza are not released by his inauguration on January 20, “all hell will break out in the Middle East” – offering one more stark indication of how much the incoming president would prefer to avoid inheriting the Israel-Hamas war as he prepares to take office in less than two weeks.

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