‘Unbearable’ dread: Hostages’ families demand answers after Trump says only 21 alive
‘What does Trump know that we do not?’ demands Alon Nimrodi, whose son is still in Gaza, as Israel maintains official number of living captives in Gaza still 24
Relatives of the 59 hostages still held in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday renewed their call for Israeli officials to tell them if there is updated intelligence on the fates of their loved ones, after US President Donald Trump said that only 21 hostages remained alive, three fewer than Israel’s official estimate.
“The number of living hostages as is known to the families, provided to them by official sources, is 24,” the Hostage Families Forum said in a statement. “We demand again from Israel — if there is new intelligence being kept from us, pass it to us immediately.”
The families’ statement also called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to pause the military campaign in Gaza until all hostages are returned, calling their release “the most important and most urgent national mission.”
Trump told reporters in the Oval Office Tuesday evening, “As of today, it’s 21 [hostages who are still alive]. Three have died,” without providing additional details.
Gal Hirsch, the government point person on hostages, said shortly afterward that Israel’s official number remained 24.
A source familiar with the matter told The Times of Israel on Tuesday that the discrepancy could be due to the fact that Israel might have intelligence indicating that certain hostages are dead or that Israel has yet to obtain a sign of life from certain hostages since their kidnapping. However, those hostages are still officially considered to be living until their deaths can be definitively confirmed.
NEWS: President Trump says only 21 hostages still alive in Gaza pic.twitter.com/jlZQ7JRRJ5
— Jacob Wheeler (@JWheelertv) May 6, 2025
Parents of hostages on Wednesday expressed frustration and anger at their treatment.
Danny Miran, father of hostage Omri Miran, told the Kan public broadcaster that the way families are being jerked around is “unbearable.”
“Every day is another message, different numbers of living and dead and you don’t know what’s going on with your son. It messes with your head,” he said. “Now we are resuming a war that can wind up harming the hostages. This isn’t a stable way to live.”
Alon Nimrodi, father of hostage Tamir Nimrodi, told Army Radio that felt felt like they had been stabbed in the back.
“What does Trump know that we do not?” he asked. “This is hard to see and hear, I’m losing sleep over it, it’s heartbreaking.”
Kobi Ohel, father of hostage Alon Ohel, told 103FM that Trump’s comments only brings into sharp relief the the danger the hostages are in.
“His comments scare me because they emphasize the deplorable situation of the hostages still alive in Gaza,” he said. “When we hear Trump, what he says, we also hear IDF chief [Eyal Zamir] saying what the ramifications of a renewed offensive in Gaza are.”
Israel on Sunday approved a plan to significantly broaden the military offensive against the Hamas terror group. That evening, it was reported that Zamir had warned the government Israel “could lose” the hostages if it goes forward with the expanded operation.
Yehuda Cohen, father of hostage Nimrod Cohen, directed his anger at Netanyahu over the confusion.
“The fact that Trump mentioned the number in passing is just another sign of how [the hostages] have been abandoned by the Netanyahu government,” he told the Ynet news site.
“There’s sensitive information circulating in the open around the world, and anyone can name whatever number they want like they are talking about a commodity,” he said. “An open market on the backs of the hostages’ families and their feelings. Netanyahu is just sitting and calculating his profits from it.”
Opposition Leader Yair Lapid also weighed in on Wednesday, telling Army Radio, “Someone in Israel gave them that number. I hope it didn’t come from the government.”
Lapid noted that Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer is in Washington, adding: “I hope he didn’t tell them that.”
Last week, prior to Trump’s statements, Netanyahu’s wife Sara said in front of reporters that the number of living hostages was less than 24.
The comments similarly infuriated hostages’ families, who had not been updated on the matter. Trump went on to echo that revelation two days later, also saying that fewer than 24 hostages were still alive in Gaza, but he didn’t give a specific figure at the time, like he did on Tuesday.
Jacob Magid contributed to this report.
The Times of Israel Community.