Families of October 7 hostages held in Gaza demanded any new information from the Israeli government after US President Donald Trump said three more captives had died. <\/p>\n
\u201cAs of today, it\u2019s 21. Three have died. So, this is a terrible situation,\u201d Trump said on Tuesday. <\/p>\n
The remark was a shock to the families of the hostages. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe demand once again from the Israeli government – if there is new information that has been hidden from us, pass it on to us immediately,\u201d the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said on Wednesday. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe headquarters once again calls on the Prime Minister to stop the war until the last abductee is returned. This is the most urgent and important national task.\u201d <\/p>\n
Israel\u2019s public and official position, reiterated on Tuesday by Israel\u2019s Coordinator for the Captives and the Missing Gal Hirsch, is that 24 hostages are alive. \u201cThe Hamas terror organization is currently holding 59 hostages,\u201d Hirsch said on social media several hours after Trump\u2019s comments. \u201c24 of them are on the list of living hostages.\u201d <\/p>\n
But there have been clear indications that Israel has reason to believe the true number is fewer, even beyond Trump\u2019s comments. <\/p>\n
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu published a video statement in which he made the clearest acknowledgement, yet that Israel believes not all 24 are alive. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe know for certain that there are 21 alive. There\u2019s no argument about this. There\u2019s three where there is doubt about whether they are alive,\u201d he said in the prerecorded video. \u201cWe\u2019re not giving up on anyone.\u201d <\/p>\n
Earlier this week, Netanyahu approved an expansion of the war in Gaza and a plan to force the Palestinian population into a shrinking tract of land in the southern part of the besieged territory. Israel says its military operations are intended to put pressure on Hamas to make a ceasefire agreement, but prospects for an imminent deal are quickly dwindling, and with them the hope of bringing the remaining hostages out soon. <\/p>\n
Even before the latest video statement, Netanyahu has recently been careful to say that \u201cup to 24\u201d hostages are being held alive in Gaza. <\/p>\n
Last week, when Netanyahu said there were \u201cup to 24\u201d living, his wife, Sara, interrupted him and said: \u201cFewer.\u201d <\/p>\n
The open mic moment sparked its own outcry from the families of the hostages. \u201cIf the wife of the prime minister has new information about the kidnapped who were killed, I demand from her to know if my Matan is still alive, or if he was murdered in captivity because your husband refuses to finish the war,\u201d Einav Zangauker, the mother of one of the hostages, said on social media. <\/p>\n
Israeli officials have said there are \u201cgrave concerns\u201d about three of the hostages but would not say whether Israel knows for certain that they are dead. <\/p>\n
Trump\u2019s comments strongly suggest otherwise and appear to indicate that Israel has shared sensitive information about the condition of the hostages with the Trump administration. <\/p>\n
More than 250 people were taken hostage when Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 \u2013 sparking the ongoing war in Gaza. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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