Hamas said on Friday that it had accepted *** proposal to release one living American-Israeli hostage and the remains of 4 other hostages. It was *** significant statement after weeks of gridlock on the Israel-Hamas ceasefire. The militant group said it would free Idan Alexander, *** soldier who was 19 when he was kidnapped from his base on the Gaza border. It said it would also release the remains of 4 others, dual nationals who died in captivity. It's not clear who negotiated this most recent proposal. Hamas and the United States have engaged in recent weeks in direct talks, which has elicited *** terse response from Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu immediately cast doubt on the Hamas statement, saying that. Marked psychological warfare and that the militant group in actuality was refusing to budge on the deal that Israel wants on the table. Israel is calling for Hamas to release half the remaining hostages in exchange for an extension of the ceasefire and the promise of *** lasting truce in Gaza.
Trump says only 21 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza now believed to be alive
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Updated: 11:57 PM CDT May 6, 2025
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that three hostages held by Hamas in Gaza have died, leaving only 21 believed to be still living.“As of today, it’s 21, three have died,” Trump said of the hostages being held by Hamas, noting until recently it had been 24 people believed to be living. He did not elaborate on the identities of those now believed to be dead, nor how he had come to learn of their deaths. “There’s 21, plus a lot of dead bodies," Trump said.One American, Edan Alexander, had been among the 24 hostages believed to be alive, with the bodies of several other Americans also held by Hamas after its Oct. 7, 2023, assault on Israel.The president’s comments came as Israel approved plans Monday to seize the Gaza Strip and to stay in the Palestinian territory for an unspecified amount of time, in a bid to recover the hostages and try to fulfill its war aims of destroying Hamas. If implemented, the move would vastly expand Israel’s operations there and likely draw fierce international opposition.Separately, the State Department said Tuesday that the U.S. embassy helped 17 U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents leave Gaza on Monday.“We thank our partners in the Israeli and Jordanian governments who made this departure possible,” the department said.Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Jordan's King Abdullah II on Monday in Washington.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Tuesday that three hostages held by Hamas in Gaza have died, leaving only 21 believed to be still living.
“As of today, it’s 21, three have died,” Trump said of the hostages being held by Hamas, noting until recently it had been 24 people believed to be living. He did not elaborate on the identities of those now believed to be dead, nor how he had come to learn of their deaths. “There’s 21, plus a lot of dead bodies," Trump said.
One American, Edan Alexander, had been among the 24 hostages believed to be alive, with the bodies of several other Americans also held by Hamas after its Oct. 7, 2023, assault on Israel.
The president’s comments came as Israel approved plans Monday to seize the Gaza Strip and to stay in the Palestinian territory for an unspecified amount of time, in a bid to recover the hostages and try to fulfill its war aims of destroying Hamas. If implemented, the move would vastly expand Israel’s operations there and likely draw fierce international opposition.
Separately, the State Department said Tuesday that the U.S. embassy helped 17 U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents leave Gaza on Monday.
“We thank our partners in the Israeli and Jordanian governments who made this departure possible,” the department said.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Jordan's King Abdullah II on Monday in Washington.
