From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
Trump: ‘If it weren’t for us, probably none of the hostages would be living right now. We’ll get out the rest step by step’
US President Donald Trump says that he thinks none of the hostages held in Gaza would still be alive if it weren’t for the United States.
Asked whether Israel deserves credit for the release of Edan Alexander, Trump says, “Well, they’ve been fighting a long time, they’re warring, and I think they deserve a lot of credit.
“I think my people deserve a lot of credit. Maybe the most credit,” Trump tells reporters aboard Air Force One as he heads from Saudi Arabia to Doha.
“Look, [Alexander] wouldn’t be there. If it weren’t for us, he wouldn’t be living right now. Probably none of the hostages would be living right now,” he says. “We probably have 20 that are living, that we’ll be getting out step by step.”
Terror groups in the Gaza Strip are holding 58 hostages, including 57 of the 251 abducted by Hamas-led terrorists on October 7, 2023. They include the bodies of at least 35 confirmed dead by the IDF. Israel says it has grave concerns about three hostages.
Alexander was released from captivity in the Gaza Strip on Monday in what has been described as a goodwill gesture from the Palestinian terror group Hamas to Trump ahead of the US president’s visit to the region.
Yesterday his parents expressed gratitude to Trump, Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff, and hostage envoy Adam Boehler for their work in bringing their son home. They did not mention Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Times of Israel Community.