Israel has corrected comments made by US President Donald Trump after he told reporters last week that 21 hostages were alive in Gaza, rather than 24. The claim raised alarm among families of the hostages, who had not been given such an update by the Israeli government. An Israeli official clarified on Wednesday that 24 hostages remain alive in Gaza, with the numbers unchanged since before Trump’s statements.
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Gal Hirsch, Israel’s coordinator for hostage issues, confirmed in a post on X that the Palestinian militant group Hamas was holding 59 hostages, with 24 still alive and 35 confirmed dead. “All families of the kidnapped are always updated with the information we have about their loved ones,” Hirsch stated. The discrepancy arose after Trump’s comment at a White House event, where he stated, “I say 21, because, as of today, it’s 21. Three have died,” without citing a source or providing further details.
Trump’s remarks prompted the group representing the families of the hostages to urge the Israeli government to provide any new information as soon as possible. A spokesperson for the group called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to halt the war until all abducted individuals were safely returned, describing it as “the most urgent and important national task.”
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The hostages were taken during the Hamas attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which left around 1,200 people dead, mostly civilians. In response, Israel launched an air and ground assault on Gaza, resulting in over 52,000 Palestinian casualties, including thousands of children. The ongoing conflict has also displaced a significant portion of Gaza’s population, causing widespread devastation. Families of the hostages are increasingly calling for Israel to prioritise their release and negotiate with Hamas to end their captivity.
