Israel PM Expresses Doubts Over Condition of Three Hostages Amid Ongoing Gaza Conflict

Sun Oct 19 2025 10:09:36 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Netanyahu confirms 21 hostages alive but is uncertain about the status of three others, prompting calls from families for a ceasefire and negotiations.

Amid rising tensions, Israel's PM Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged uncertainty about three Gaza hostages' well-being, despite confirming 21 others are alive. Families urge a shift from military action to negotiations with Hamas for the safe return of remaining hostages.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated there is "uncertainty" regarding the condition of three out of 24 hostages believed to be in Hamas's custody amidst the ongoing Gaza conflict. While he is confident that 21 hostages are alive, this revelation follows comments made by former US President Donald Trump, who indicated a week ago that all 24 hostages were still living.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum has publicly implored Netanyahu to reconsider Israel's aggressive military strategy and instead pursue negotiations with Hamas, seeking a deal that would facilitate the return of the remaining 59 hostages, both alive and deceased. A spokesperson for the forum insisted that halting the offensive should be a top priority, stating, "This is the most urgent and important national task."

In a video released following Trump's comments, Netanyahu reiterated, "We know with certainty that 21 hostages are alive. There are three more regarding whom there's uncertainty." Although Netanyahu previously claimed that securing hostages was a key objective of the war, he also stressed that the ultimate goal is to achieve military victory against their adversaries.

Contrasting Netanyahu's position, Israel's chief military spokesperson Brig-Gen Effie Defrin emphasized on Monday that the primary aim of military operations is the safe return of hostages, coupled with the objective of dismantling Hamas's governance. However, conflicting reports suggest that Israeli military strategies, as outlined by Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, prioritize defeating Hamas over hostage recovery, positioning the latter as a lower priority within the overarching military agenda.

Amidst this turmoil, Israeli operations have reportedly included plans to occupy Gaza territory, forcibly relocating Palestinian populations to the south while taking control of humanitarian aid distribution, despite condemnation from the UN and humanitarian organizations.

This situation escalated following the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in around 1,200 casualties and 251 individuals taken hostage. In total, around 196 hostages have been released during the conflict, mainly following temporary ceasefire agreements with Hamas, though the ongoing military actions have claimed over 52,653 lives in Gaza according to local health sources. Israel's renewed offensive has led to severe humanitarian crises, with a complete blockade of essential supplies persisting for nine weeks.