Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that "up to 24 hostages" are believed to be alive in Gaza, during a meeting with Independence Day torchbearers. A video of the event, released Tuesday, shows his wife, Sara Netanyahu, quietly mouthing the word "fewer" in Hebrew in response. Netanyahu clarified, “I say up to. The rest, of course, are unfortunately no longer alive.”
Since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack in southern Israel, more than 250 individuals were abducted and taken into the Gaza Strip. According to the IDF, 59 remain in captivity, and 49 have died while held hostage.
“So far, we have brought back 196 hostages, 147 of them alive,” the prime minister said.
An Israeli source involved in the negotiations confirmed that the number Netanyahu cited is indeed the official figure submitted by the Coordinator for Hostage and Missing Persons Affairs to mediators.
Meanwhile, conflicting reports continue to cloud the status of hostage-ceasefire negotiations. While a recent report suggested talks were stalling, an Israeli source on Tuesday dismissed claims of a breakthrough as inaccurate..
Sara Netanyahu’s off-mic comment has sparked distress among hostage families. Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan is held in Gaza, posted on X (formerly Twitter): “If the prime minister’s wife has new information... I demand to know whether my Matan is still alive or was he murdered in captivity because your husband refuses to end the war.”
The Hostage Families' Forum condemned the moment, stating that Sara Netanyahu’s comment "sowed panic" on the eve of Memorial Day. They called for clarity: “Do you know something we don’t? We demand that the Prime Minister clarify his and his wife’s statements. If there is intelligence or new information regarding the condition of our loved ones, we demand full disclosure.”
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