Trump says 3 more hostages killed by Hamas, only 21 believed to be alive
text_fields
US President Donald Trump revealed on Tuesday that three more hostages held by Hamas in Gaza have been killed, leaving only 21 hostages believed to be alive. He stated that when he last met with former Israeli hostages during their visit to the White House, 24 hostages were alive, but as of today, "three have died."
Trump did not provide specific details about the identities of the deceased hostages or how he learned of their deaths. In his remarks during a swearing-in ceremony for his Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, at the White House, Trump added, “There’s 21, plus a lot of dead bodies."
The president's comments came amid rising tensions as the Israeli cabinet approved a plan to seize the Gaza Strip and remain in the Palestinian territory for an indefinite period. This shift in focus, from recovering the hostages to occupying Gaza, could lead to further escalation and likely provoke significant international opposition.
"We want to try and get as many hostages saved as possible. This is a terrible situation," Trump emphasized.
According to the latest update from the Israeli military, 251 people were taken hostage by Hamas during the surprise attack on October 7, 2023. Of those, 58 are still held in Gaza, with around 34 believed to have died.
