In a video posted to his Facebook account, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed this evening (Wednesday): “21 hostages are definitely alive, and there are three others whose condition is uncertain.”
Netanyahu further emphasized: “We are not giving up on anyone – not even the three whose status is still unknown.”
We’re Trying to Get the Hostages Out
Netanyahu’s statement follows remarks made by President Trump earlier (overnight Tuesday to Wednesday), who declared that 21 hostages are alive in the Gaza Strip. Trump added: “It’s a terrible situation, we’re trying to get the hostages out of there. We’ve already managed to rescue many hostages.”
His comments were made following an earlier report from Qatar, where an Egyptian source claimed that Cairo had received a new American proposal for a ceasefire and hostage release deal.
59 Hostages in Gaza – 24 Alive, 35 Confirmed Dead
Following Trump’s comments, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum issued a statement: “The number of living hostages known to the families, as relayed to them by official sources in Israel, is 24. If there is new information – we demand to receive it immediately and without delay.”
Additionally, Ret. Brig. Gen. Gal Hirsch, Israel’s Coordinator for the Hostages and Missing, clarified that Hamas is holding 59 hostages: 24 have been confirmed alive, while 35 have been classified as killed in captivity.
