A large billboard showing US President Donald Trump calling for the release of all the hostages held by Hamas terrorists in Gaza, in Tel Aviv. January 07, 2025. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)
President Trump called the Gaza war “a hell of a problem” to resolve.
By World Israel News Staff
President Donald Trump told reporters that a deal to end the fighting between Israel and Hamas and secure the return of Israeli hostages held in Gaza would be reached in the near future.
“I think we’re going to have a deal on Gaza very soon,” Trump told media in New York City after attending the U.S. Open tennis tournament.
The ongoing war in Gaza, he said, is “a hell of a problem. It’s a problem we want to solve for the Middle East, for Israel, for everybody. It’s a problem we’re going to get done.”
Trump emphasized the urgency of reaching a ceasefire, warning that many hostages were close to death.
“It could be a little bit less than 20 [living captives] because they tend to die; even though they’re young people largely, they tend to die,” Trump said.
Earlier remarks from Trump, in which he implied that two hostages had recently died, sparked waves of speculation among hostage families and the Israeli public over the identities of the deceased captives.
Israeli officials pushed back against Trump’s comments, stating that according to their intelligence assessments, there are still 20 living hostages in Gaza.
Authorities acknowledged, however, that many are in critical condition and at imminent risk of death.
Trump expressed confidence that a comprehensive deal — one that would both end the war and bring home all hostages, both living and dead — was within reach.
“I think we’re going to get them all,” he said.
According to Israeli assessments, Hamas is currently holding 20 live hostages — two of whom are said to be in immediate danger of dying — along with the bodies of 26 others.
Some of the slain captives were murdered on October 7, while others were executed by their captors after being abducted.
For Israel, however, a return to the negotiating table represents the most problematic outcome.
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