Trump tells Hamas to give back ‘all 20 hostages’ and ‘it will end’
UK foreign secretary says he held 'deeply moving' meeting with families of captives
US President Donald Trump warned the Hamas terror group on Wednesday to give back “all 20 Hostages,” in order to bring about a rapid end to the war in Gaza.
“Tell Hamas to IMMEDIATELY give back all 20 Hostages (Not 2 or 5 or 7!), and things will change rapidly. IT WILL END!” he posted on his Truth Social network.
Trump appeared to be referring only to the hostages still thought to be alive, as terror groups in the Gaza Strip are holding 48 hostages total, including 47 of the 251 abducted by Hamas-led terrorists on October 7, 2023.
They include the bodies of at least 26 confirmed dead by the IDF. Twenty are believed to be alive and there are grave concerns for the well-being of two others, Israeli officials have said. One of the dead, Hadar Goldin, was an IDF soldier killed in Gaza in 2014.
Trump caused concern among the families of the hostages when he suggested last month that fewer than 20 hostages remained alive.
Gal Hirsch, the government’s point man on the hostages, said that Israel was not aware of any change to the number of living hostages, despite Trump’s claims.
In recent days, the US president has started reiterating his belief that Israel needs to end the war quickly, telling the Daily Caller earlier this week that “they’re gonna have to get that war over with,” as it was “hurting Israel.”
But he also has indicated his support for Israel’s plan to take over Gaza City, asserting in recent weeks that Jerusalem must “finish the job” against Hamas and claiming that the remaining hostages will only be released after the group is destroyed.
The Israel Defense Forces has reportedly determined that the Gaza City operation could take four or five months to complete, after which Netanyahu has talked about a subsequent operation to conquer the refugee camps in the central Strip.
Also on Wednesday, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said he had held a “deeply moving” meeting with families of hostages on Tuesday.
In a post on X, he said the families “have shown incredible strength and bravery throughout their horrific ordeal.”
Among those who met with Lammy was Moshe Or, the brother of Hamas hostage Avinatan Or, who was abducted from the Nova music festival.
“Hamas must immediately release all hostages,” Lammy said. “We will continue working with international partners for an immediate ceasefire and a lasting peace.”
Lammy denounced the Israeli government in parliament on Monday, saying he was “outraged by the Israeli government’s refusal to allow in sufficient aid” to Gaza.
“This is not a natural disaster,” he said. “It’s a man-made famine in the 21st century.”
Israel’s reputation is “diminishing in the eyes of young people across the globe who look at this with horror,” Lammy said of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Jacob Magid contributed to this report.