US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that three more hostages held by Hamas in Gaza have died, bringing the number still alive to 21.
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Trump said that 24 hostages were alive when he received a recent visit by former Israeli hostages but “as of today it’s 21, three have died”.
“Twenty-one, plus a lot of dead bodies,” the president said at a White House swearing-in ceremony for his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.
He did not provide any further details.
“We want to try and get as many hostages saved as possible,” Trump said. “This is a terrible situation.”
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The Israeli military, in its most recent update, said out of the 251 people abducted by militants in October 2023, 58 are still held in Gaza including 34 believed to be dead.