U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that without the United States, all of the hostages abducted by Hamas and held in Gaza, be dead. " If it weren’t for us, probably none of the hostages would be living right now," Trump told reporters onboard Air Force One on his way to Qatar from Saudi Arabia. “I think my people deserve a lot of credit. Maybe the most credit,” Trump said.
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President Trump talks to reporters on board Air FOrce One
(Photo: Win McNamee / Getty Images)
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Freed IDF soldier Edan Alexander after his release from 584 days in captivity
(Photo: IDF)
"Look, [freed-hostage Edan Alexander] wouldn’t be there if it weren’t for us; he wouldn’t be living right now. Probably none of the hostages will be living right now,” he says. “Probably we have 20 who are living.”
The American president said that Israel was not sidelined by his trip to the Gulf. "This is good for Israel," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. "Having a relationship like I have with these countries .... I think it's very good for Israel."
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Trump said Israel was briefed on the administration's decision to remove sanctions imposed on Syria under the rule of Bashar Assad. He said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, whom he described as someone he gets along with very well, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, both thought that it was important and provided Syria with a better chance of survival.
According to a report on CNN, after Israeli officials inquired whether the president would consider a stop in Israel, they were told that he would not include a stop in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem without a ceasefire agreement in Gaza or a "result" for Trump.
The Israeli delegation to the talks in Qatar to renew negotiations for a ceasefire agreement met with Trump envoy Steve Witkoff earlier and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also said he and the envoy discussed the negotiations.
The message from Witkoff, according to American officials, was that the United States does not intend to back down and insists on an end to the Gaza war, viewing the release of the American hostage on Monday as momentum to impose an agreement on Netanyahu.