Israeli PM Netanyahu says 3 Israeli hostages Gaza are dead

8/5/2025 6:06

Three Israeli hostages in

Gaza previously thought to be living may be dead, leaving 21

definitely believed to be alive, Prime Minister Benjamin

Netanyahu said on Wednesday, confirming comments made by U.S.

President Donald Trump.



Speaking at an event at the White House on Tuesday, Trump

said 24 hostages were alive a week ago but the figure was now

21. He did not cite a source or provide further details.



Gal Hirsch, Israel's coordinator for hostage issues, had

said in a post on X that the Palestinian militant group Hamas

was holding 59 hostages of whom 24 were alive and 35 dead -

figures unchanged since before Trump spoke.



Netanyahu's comments appeared to confirm the figure cited by

Trump.



"We know for certain that 21 are alive — that’s not in

dispute. There are three others where, unfortunately, it’s

uncertain whether they're alive," Netanyahu said in filmed

remarks posted on social media.



A spokesperson for a group representing hostage families

said: "The headquarters again calls on the prime minister to

stop the war until the return of the last abductee. This is the

most urgent and important national task."



The fate of the hostages is a visceral issue for most

Israelis and one that has caused increasing disquiet and

division in Israeli society as the war has dragged on.

A total of 251 people were taken hostage during the Hamas

attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, in which some

1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed, according to

Israeli tallies.



Most of the hostages returned alive to Israel so far were

released as part of deals with Hamas during two temporary

ceasefires in late 2023 and early 2025.



Since the abductions, Israel has responded with an air and

ground assault on Gaza that has killed more than 52,000

Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health authorities

there, and reduced much of the enclave to ruins.



The government says its two war aims are to destroy Hamas

and release the hostages. This week it has announced an

expansion of its offensive on Gaza, causing hostage families to

fear this will further endanger their loved ones.