Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., has been nominated as the national security adviser by President-elect Trump. The selection of Waltz gives hope to the families of U.S. citizens held hostage by Hamas in Gaza, as he has the opportunity to implement a forceful strategy to target Hamas and bring about their release. The article suggests several actions that Waltz can take, including giving Israel the green light to pursue Hamas leadership globally, intensifying economic sanctions on Iran and its proxies, pushing Turkey to pick a side between NATO and Hamas, and supporting Israeli leadership in securing hostage releases. The author believes that with Waltz's appointment, there is a unique opportunity for the release of the hostages to be a catalyst for a new era in the Middle East.