The Media Line: Netanyahu Admits Doubt Over Fate of 3 Hostages in Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that there is uncertainty over the fate of three of the 24 hostages believed to be held alive in Gaza, acknowledging for the first time that only 21 are confirmed to still be living.

The comments followed remarks by US President Donald Trump the night before, in which he stated he had information suggesting that only 21 of the hostages are still alive. Trump’s statement echoed similar comments made days earlier by Netanyahu’s wife, Sara, who also said fewer than 24 were believed to be alive.

“We know for certain that there are 21 [hostages] alive, about this there is no dispute,” Netanyahu said in a video message posted to his X account. “There are another three who, unfortunately, there is doubt if they are alive.” He emphasized that “we are not giving up on any of them.”

The official estimate of 24 living hostages has remained unchanged for weeks, and Netanyahu’s latest admission has caused anxiety among the families of those still in captivity. The Hostage Families Forum issued a statement demanding clarity: “The number of living hostages as is known to the families, provided to them by official sources, is 24. We demand again…if there is new intelligence being kept from us, pass it to us immediately.”