Trump: “Fewer Than 20 Hostages Remain, One or Two Are Dead”
U.S. President Donald Trump signed a series of new executive orders today, and as expected, he addressed the ongoing Middle East war and the plight of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza.
U.S. President Donald Trump addressed the situation of Israeli hostages in Gaza and the ongoing Middle East war during a press conference held Monday in the Oval Office.
The president repeated his claim that fewer than 20 hostages remain alive in Gaza, a statement that Israeli officials have strongly denied.
Trump was first asked about the reported Israeli strike on Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, where at least 20 people were killed. Appearing surprised by the question, the president asked: “When did that happen?” He added, “I’m not happy with it, I don’t want to see that. At the same time, I say everything must be brought to an end.”
The president then shifted to highlight his own record on hostages, declaring: “I was the one who got the hostages out, all of them. Steve Witkoff did an amazing job, but I was the one who got them out with my people.”
At that point, Trump made his most striking comment: “We are probably left with fewer than 20 people, because one or two are already dead.”
Trump’s remarks mark the first time he has offered specific numbers on the remaining hostages, though his assessment contradicts Israeli sources. His insistence on linking his leadership to past hostage releases highlights his effort to project control and determination in the face of international pressure on Israel.