Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday evening contradicted Israel’s hostage envoy, Gal Hirsch, who had stated that 24 of the 59 hostages held in Gaza are presumed alive. In a video message, Netanyahu clarified that Israel has confirmed 21 hostages are alive—matching a figure cited a day earlier by U.S. President Donald Trump.
“We know for certain that 21 are alive. There are three others whose status is unclear. But what we can say with certainty is 21,” Netanyahu said, emphasizing that Israel is not giving up on any of the hostages.
Trump talks about the Hamas hostages
The clarification comes amid a deadlock in negotiations between Israel and Hamas over a potential hostage deal. An Israeli official said Egypt and Qatar, who are mediating the talks, have increased pressure on Hamas ahead of President Trump's visit to the Middle East next week. The push coincides with Israel’s preparations to significantly expand military operations in Gaza.
Israel’s current proposal includes the release of about half of the living hostages in exchange for a 50-day ceasefire, without committing to a permanent end to the war or a full withdrawal from Gaza. Hamas continues to demand a comprehensive agreement that would end the war entirely.
Hamas political bureau member Basem Naim said Wednesday that “ahead of Trump’s visit, desperate attempts are being made through starvation crimes, continued genocide, and threats of expanding military operations to force a partial deal.” He accused Netanyahu of threatening to resume the war in order to achieve “total victory and the return of hostages”—goals he said have not been realized in the past 18 months.
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Mediators have increased pressure on Hamas ahead of President Trump's visit to the Middle East next week
(Photos: Ariel Schalit/AP; Ohad Zwigenberg/Carlos Osorio/REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa)
Naim added that the resistance remains committed to a full cease-fire and a postwar roadmap. “These attempts will not break the will of our people,” he said.
Trump reiterated Wednesday that 21 hostages are believed to be alive, down from 24 last week. Israel has not publicly confirmed any specific event that would have changed the status of hostages, but intelligence assessments suggest the actual number of living captives may be lower than the official count. Hirsch previously said the families of hostages whose fate is uncertain have been informed of the situation.
Last week, during a meeting with Independence Day torchlighters, Netanyahu stated that Israel had secured the return of 196 hostages so far, 147 of them alive. He added that “up to 24 are alive,” prompting his wife, Sara, to quietly correct him with “fewer.” Netanyahu responded, “I said ‘up to.’ The rest, unfortunately, are not alive, but we will bring them all back.”
Moran Stela Yanai, a survivor of captivity in Gaza, responded to Netanyahu’s updated figure, saying the news that the number of living hostages had dropped to 21 was personally difficult. “It's another thing that could happen to me,” she said at the event "Creation Between Trauma and Recovery."
According to a report in Qatar's Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, citing an Egyptian source, Cairo has received another U.S. proposal for a cease-fire. Israeli officials said they are not aware of such a proposal. The report claimed the new plan includes humanitarian corridors, the release of a limited number of hostages—including Edan Alexander—and verifiable information about the remaining captives, including evidence that those not released are receiving food and medical care.
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IDF Chief of Staff, Maj. Gen. Eyal Zamir, talks with commanders of the IDF divisions and brigades as part of his visit to the Gaza Division
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
Meanwhile, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir visited the Gaza Division ahead of the planned Operation Gideon’s Chariots. He told division and brigade commanders that the earlier Operation Strength and Sword was the first phase of the military campaign and had aimed to maximize leverage for a hostage deal. “Now is the time to move to the second phase,” he said. “We will intensify our actions. This is a battle of spirit, of perseverance, of determination.”
Defense Minister Israel Katz also spoke Wednesday at a situation assessment with the IDF’s 162nd Division, saying the upcoming campaign aims to defeat Hamas and secure the release of all hostages. He said the IDF would retain control of cleared areas and that the entire civilian population of Gaza would be relocated to the southern part of the Strip.
A senior security official said the IDF is currently preparing for the ground maneuver, which will not begin until after President Trump’s visit to the region, scheduled for May 13–16 in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
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The official said the current period provides a “window of opportunity” for a hostage deal under what’s referred to as the “Witkoff Model.” If such a deal is reached, Israel would seek to retain control over parts of Gaza added to a planned buffer zone. The official emphasized that Israel will not relinquish this zone in any future agreement, temporary or permanent, as it is meant to protect Israeli communities and prevent Hamas from smuggling weapons.
According to the plan, approved by Netanyahu, Katz, and Zamir, the IDF will increase its forces and escalate operations to dismantle Hamas’s military and governing capabilities, applying maximum pressure to secure the release of all remaining hostages. The plan includes a robust security envelope for ground troops, with air, sea, and land-based support, as well as heavy equipment for demolishing explosives and hostile infrastructure.