Sen. Lindsey Graham said that President-elect Donald Trump wants the fighting to end in Gaza and hostages released before he enters the White House on Jan. 20.

Mr. Graham, South Carolina Republican, said Mr. Trump is pushing for the killing to end in the Israel-Hamas war so he can focus on normalizing relations between the Jewish state and Saudi Arabia, among other foreign policy goals. 

“Trump is more determined than ever to release the hostages and supports a ceasefire that includes a hostage deal. He wants to see it happening now,” Mr. Graham told Axios.

“I want people in Israel and in the region to know that Trump is focused on the hostages issue. He wants the killing to stop and the fighting to end,” he continued.

Mr. Graham’s remarks follow his second trip to the Middle East this month and come on the heels of President Biden’s announcement of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. 

The new deal comes after a year of rocket fire, airstrikes and an Israeli ground invasion into southern Lebanon. 

Securing a ceasefire and release of the remaining hostages held by Hamas in Gaza has eluded President Biden as the conflict enters its 14th month. 

The Biden administration saw that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar’s death last month offered a path to ending the fighting in the region and is emboldened to hammer out a deal following the ceasefire in Lebanon. 

“Over the coming days, the United States will make another push with Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and others to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza with the hostages released and an end to the war without Hamas in power,” Mr. Biden said on X following the announcement of the Israel-Hezbollah deal.

• Alex Miller can be reached at amiller@washingtontimes.com.