Despite apparent impasse in hostage talks, Trump says 10 captives will be released ‘very shortly’

“We got most of the hostages back. We’re going to have another 10 coming very shortly, and we hope to have that finished quickly,” Trump said.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

US President Donald Trump announced Friday night that ten more hostages held in Gaza are expected to be released soon, although he did not provide a specific timeline.

Speaking during a dinner with lawmakers at the White House, Trump praised the work of his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, who has been involved in ongoing negotiations.

“We got most of the hostages back. We’re going to have another 10 coming very shortly, and we hope to have that finished quickly,” Trump said.

Talks between Israel and the Hamas terrorist group have been underway in Doha since July 6, focusing on a US-backed proposal for a 60-day ceasefire. A senior diplomatic source said Israel has made “significant progress” in recent weeks toward reaching a deal with Hamas. Despite these developments, negotiations remain complex and fraught with setbacks.

“There are still major challenges,” the source said, noting that Hamas appears to be stalling. “Hamas is behaving as though time is on its side, but it will find the battlefield tells a different story.”

The same source confirmed that 50 hostages remain in Gaza, with around 20 believed to be alive. Hamas abducted more than 250 people during its October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, where the group slaughtered over 1,200 civilians and soldiers.

Despite Trump’s optimism, Hamas has signaled resistance to a partial truce. In a video statement, spokesman Abu Ubaida warned, “We are closely monitoring the ongoing negotiations and hope they will result in an agreement that guarantees the cessation of the war against our people, the withdrawal of occupation forces, and the relief of our people.” He added that the group would not accept any future interim deal if the current talks fail.

As talks continue in Qatar, Israeli officials remain cautious. “The situation cannot be described as either pessimistic or optimistic,” said one official. “But we must be realistic about Hamas’s conduct.”