Israel has corrected comments made by US president Donald Trump after he told reporters last week that 21 hostages are alive in Gaza – rather than 24 – because three had died.
The claim caused alarm amongst the families of hostages, who had not been delivered this update by the Israeli government. But an official said on Wednesday that 24 hostages do still remain alive in Gaza, with figures remaining unchanged since before Trump spoke.
Gal Hirsch, Israel’s coordinator for hostage issues, said in a post on X that the Palestinian militant group Hamas was holding 59 hostages of whom 24 were alive and 35 dead.
“All families of the kidnapped are always updated with the information we have about their loved ones,” he said.
Speaking at an event at the White House on Tuesday, Trump said that 24 hostages were alive a week ago but the figure was now 21.
“I say 21, because, as of today, it’s 21. Three have died,” he said, without citing a source or providing further details.
Trump’s comment had prompted the group representing the families of hostages to ask the Israeli government to share any new information with them immediately.
“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,” said a spokesperson for the group.
A total of 251 people were taken hostage during the Hamas attacks on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed, according to Israeli tallies.
Israel has responded with an air and ground assault on Gaza that has killed more than 52,000 Palestinians, including thousands of children, according to the Hamas-run health authorities there. The Israeli offensive has displaced most of the population and reduced much of the enclave to ruins.
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.
Hostage families and their supporters have said from the start that freeing all those abducted on October 7 should be the absolute priority.
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.
The most recent ceasefire fell apart in March, and the families’ group argues that Israel should stop the fighting and negotiate the release of the remaining hostages.
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 consternation among the hostage families who say this will further endanger their loved ones.
