Title: Trump Suggests Fewer Israeli Hostages May Be Alive Than Previously Estimated
President Trump indicated this week that the current count of living Israeli hostages held by Hamas might be below 20, a reduction from prior estimates.
Reports over the last several months estimated that about 50 Israelis remain under Hamas captivity, with at least 20 believed to be alive.
"So now they have 20," Trump stated during a Friday press conference in the Oval Office. "But that number is probably not accurate, as some might no longer be with us," he said, though he did not provide further details. "It’s a terrible thing."
He added, "This situation must come to an end; it’s extortion and should stop." Trump suggested that military action might be safer for the hostages than negotiating terms with Hamas for their release. "I really believe they could be better off if swift action were taken," he noted.
Trump remarked, "Now we have this final small group still held. And Hamas knows that if they release them, it could lead to the end of their own existence."
“We are doing everything possible to secure the hostages’ release, though it remains a challenging endeavor,” he stated.
Gal Hirsch, the appointed government official overseeing the hostage situation, assured families that there has been no official update regarding the number of hostages known to be alive.
As families continue to seek answers, protests in Jerusalem demanding the release of hostages have become a regular occurrence.
"Per our latest information from Israel, there is no update from you regarding the number we provided: 20 hostages are still alive," Hirsch communicated to families, according to reports.
Families of the captives express their deep concerns. "Mr. President, 50 hostages remain in Hamas’s control in Gaza. Each one of them represents an entire world to us,” stated the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.
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