Trump: Probably Less Than 20 Hostages Alive Now

President Donald Trump said today (Friday) that there are likely fewer than 20 hostages still alive, contrary to the current Israeli assessment that about 20 of the 50 remaining hostages still held by Hamas are presumed to be alive.

He said the following to Sky News:

"That's not all of them and you have to understand I'm the one that got all of the hostages out. You got a lot of people out if it wasn't for me, they wouldn't be out. I worked with BB and I worked with Steve Whitco. But it wasn't for me you would have all these hostages would most likely be dead right now every one of them. So they all come up here.

"They all come in groups of 10, 12, 13 and many of them and I've gotten to know a lot of them. They're great people what they had to go through is incredible. But so now they have 20 but the 20 is actually probably not 20 because a couple maybe aren't around any longer. It's a terrible thing. No, I like I don't like anymore.

"I said, you know when you get down to 20. They're not gonna make deals anymore and they didn't and then I put out a statement as you know. There was a tough statement going and get them and they said we'll give you ten. We'll give you ten.

"I don't know what Israel is doing, but they were willing now immediately to give us another ten. The situation has to end. It's extortion and it has to end and we'll see what happens. I actually think they're safer in many ways if you went in and you really went in fast and you did it and...People can't forget October 7th.

"Remember that I'm friendly with all groups.I won the Arab vote in Michigan. I did so great with the Arab vote. Remember I started off at zero. I ended up winning. I wouldn't say the candidate was the greatest but I would have won against anybody the great people. We have to do things properly and you know, I'm very proud to say I got the hostages out.

"You have hundreds of people that are living now because of me. And now we have that final little group of people and Hamas knows that if they give them that's probably the end of their lives. So it's not easy to get and I know if you're a parent, you just don't care you you and I want my baby back. They want their babies back. They want their kids back and I understand it. But I got them out and did a good job and we'll, we're doing everything we can to get the hostages out."

The Hostage Families Forum responded furiously to this revelation by the President, according to Ynet, saying that if Minister Dermer knows anything they don't, he should let them know directly.

Netanyahu's Hostages and Missing Persons Coordinator said that according to the information available to Israel, 20 hostages are still alive, with two of them being in serious danger for their lives, and the remaining 28 are considered dead.