President Donald Trump stated Tuesday that only 21 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza are now believed to be alive, confirming that three more have died.
“As of today, it’s 21, three have died,” Trump said, explaining that the number had previously been 24. He did not provide details about who the deceased are or how he came to know of their deaths. “There’s 21, plus a lot of dead bodies,” he added.
Among those previously thought to be alive was American Edan Alexander. The remains of several other Americans are also believed to be in Hamas custody following the group’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
Trump’s remarks came a day after Israel approved a plan to seize and remain in the Gaza Strip for an indefinite period. The move is aimed at rescuing the hostages and achieving its broader goal of dismantling Hamas. If enacted, it would mark a major escalation of Israel’s operations and is expected to spark strong international backlash.
