U.S. President Donald Trump said overnight Wednesday that the bodies of additional hostages "have been delivered to their families," adding, “two more to go.”
His remarks, made during a White House state dinner honoring Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, came as he described Gaza as now “much safer than before.”
Trump’s comments appeared to conflict with publicly available information and echoed earlier misstatements. He did not name the three deceased hostages — Sgt. First Class Ran Gvili, Dror Or and Thai national Sudthisak Rinthalak — and seemingly relied on a report by Al Jazeera, which claimed Hamas had transferred the body of a deceased hostage to the Red Cross. Israeli officials later clarified that the terror group had uncovered an item during searches in Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighborhood and transferred it for forensic examination at Israel’s request.
This is not the first time Trump has misstated figures related to hostages held in Gaza. In previous remarks, he inaccurately claimed fewer than 20 hostages were alive — a number disproved when 20 living hostages were released in the first phase of the current deal.
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The last three hostages whose remains are held in Gaza: Dror Or, Sudthisak Rinthalak and Sgt. First Class Ran Gvili
During the dinner, Trump also stated that a “peacekeeping force” in Gaza would be made up of representatives from various countries, but he did not elaborate. His comments came as the New York Times reported growing criticism from diplomats and aid officials over the absence of Palestinian representation at the American-led command center in Kiryat Gat — a gap they warn could jeopardize Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza’s reconstruction, which was endorsed by the UN Security Council.
According to the Times, the personnel at the command center come from diverse backgrounds. Some have experience in the region, while others were so unfamiliar with the context that they were issued a guidebook titled What Is Hamas? upon arrival.
The report described daily planning sessions where officers and civilian officials brainstorm on whiteboards, sometimes labeling heavy issues with lighter names. One working group addressing civil governance reportedly dubbed Wednesdays “Wellness Wednesdays” for health and education issues, while water infrastructure planning days were called “Thirsty Thursdays.”
Officials who spoke to the Times compared the atmosphere at the base — where American officers and aid workers discuss rebuilding the devastated enclave — to previous U.S. nation-building efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, evoking what one called “uncomfortable memories.”
Journalists touring the command center on Tuesday described seeing American soldiers briefing Israeli officers on plans to establish a Palestinian policing force in Gaza, as outlined in Trump’s reconstruction plan.