According to a report by The Jerusalem Post, US President Donald Trump has asserted that fewer than 20 hostages remain alive in Gaza, while also backing Israel’s decision to widen its military operations in Gaza City. Speaking from the Oval Office on Saturday, Trump addressed the hostage crisis, Israel’s strategy, and the October 7 Hamas attacks, which he denounced as a genocide.
During a live-streamed discussion, Trump claimed that Hamas has already killed between 32 and 38 of the captives, leaving under 20 still alive. He pointed to the harsh conditions in Gaza’s underground network as a major cause of death. “A lot of people died in those horrible tunnels; they’re mostly in the tunnels,” he said.
His comments came as Israeli intelligence suggested that about 20 of the 48 hostages believed to remain in captivity could still be alive. Families of the captives, however, continue to express concern that Israel’s intensified ground operations may further endanger those still held by Hamas. Many have urged restraint, arguing that military action could collapse delicate negotiations.
Trump nevertheless defended the expansion of Israeli operations in Gaza City, framing the campaign as potentially beneficial for the captives. When pressed on the dangers posed by the assault, he responded: “They might be [at greater risk]. They also may be freed because of that…War, a lot of strange things happen. A lot of results take place that you never think were going to happen.”
The president’s remarks highlight the conflicting views surrounding Israel’s military escalation. On one hand, Israel argues that dismantling Hamas’s tunnel networks and strongholds is necessary to weaken the group and create openings for hostage recovery. On the other hand, critics, including families of those held, warn that airstrikes and ground assaults in heavily populated urban areas could doom the hostages and cause further humanitarian catastrophe.
By combining skepticism about survival rates with support for Israel’s campaign, Trump has amplified ongoing debates in Washington and abroad about the balance between military objectives and humanitarian imperatives. His characterization of the October 7 attacks as genocide also underscores his efforts to draw moral lines in the conflict, aligning firmly with Israel’s position.
As fighting continues in Gaza, the fate of the hostages remains uncertain, caught between diplomatic negotiations, battlefield risks, and the unpredictability of war. See, More, Here>>>>
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