Trump repeats claim that ‘not even’ 24 hostages are still alive

In an event earlier this week, Sara Netanyahu corrected the Prime Minister when he mentioned the 24 living hostages and added, “fewer,” sparking speculation of an unreported death.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

US President Donald Trump said that he understood that “not even 24” hostages are still alive in Gaza.

During a national prayer event at the White House, he said, “Out of 59, you had 24 that were living, and now I understand that it’s not even that number.”

For months, it has been reported that out of 59 hostages remaining in Gaza, 24 are still alive, and 35 are deceased.

However, at an event earlier in the week during which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara were speaking to torchbearers for an Israel Independence Day event, some of whom are freed hostages, Sara corrected the Prime Minister when he mentioned the 24 living hostages and said, “fewer.”

Netanyahu then modified his statement. “I say ‘up to,'” Netanyahu added after his wife’s interjection, “and the rest, of course, unfortunately, are not alive. And we will return them. It’s the same spirit.”

The incident sparked outrage from families of hostages, who believed Sara Netanyahu’s correction of the Prime Minister’s words was an indication that there were additional deaths the government had not informed them about.

Einav Tsengauker, mother of Matan Tsengauker, a hostage, demanded clarification.

“If the Prime Minister’s wife has new information about captives who were killed, I demand that she inform us whether my Matan is still alive or murdered in captivity,” she said.

During Trump’s speech, he acknowledged Adi and Yael Alexander, the parents of Edan Alexander, the only surviving American hostage in Gaza.

“We don’t know how he’s doing, really…. We think we know, and hopefully [it’s] positive,” Trump says. “Two months ago, we were pretty sure. It looked like he was getting out. But they’ve toughened up a little bit. And it’s a terrible thing, I know, what you’re going through.”

“We’re working very. Very hard to save your son,” he continued. “We have news coming out — both good and bad.”

“Things are heating up there,” Trump added.

In late March, US officials made an unprecedented move to negotiate directly with Hamas. They proposed a deal that would see the release of Alexander and the remains of four deceased US hostages in exchange for a statement from the Trump Administration urging quiet in the region and a return to ceasefire negotiations.

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later said that Hamas’s claim to release Alexander was not in good faith, and Trump administration Middle East envoy Steven Witkoff blasted Hamas for its “unrealistic demands” in exchange for the American captives.

“Hamas is making a very poor gamble by believing that time is on its side. That is not the case. Hamas is well aware of the deadline and must understand that we will respond accordingly if it passes,” Witkoff cautioned.

“Alexander is critical to us,” Witkoff said. “He is wounded, and he is a top priority.”