US President Donald Trump on Thursday said that “substantial progress” was being made in ongoing negotiations for the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, and asserted his administration was actively working with both Israel and Hamas towards a breakthrough.
Speaking at a press conference, President Trump stated, “We’re getting close to getting them back,” adding that he was committed to securing the return of all remaining captives. “A lot came back. Many people are very grateful. Some came back in pretty bad shape. They’re okay. I think they’re going to be scarred mentally for a long time because if you sit down and talk to them, as I have, what they went through is incredible,” he remarked.
Describing Hamas as a “nasty group,” Trump said, “We’re making progress. We’re dealing with Israel, we’re dealing with Hamas… A real serious deal is on the table, and it’s a matter of a few days.”
According to the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, Benjamin Netanyahu has personally updated the families of the hostages on the ongoing talks. The statement noted that Netanyahu “reiterates his commitment to achieving all the goals of the war: returning all our hostages, eliminating Hamas, and ensuring that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel.”
Israeli intelligence assessments currently suggest that of the 59 remaining hostages, 24 are still believed to be alive within Gaza. The hostages were taken on 7 October 2023, during the surprise Hamas assault on southern Israel that resulted in the deaths of 1,139 people and the abduction of 251 individuals to Gaza.
A week-long ceasefire in November 2023 facilitated the release of 100 hostages. A second ceasefire, brokered in January this year, saw dozens more—both living and deceased—returned in exchange for increased humanitarian aid to Gaza and the release of over 1,000 Palestinian detainees from Israeli prisons.
While initial plans included negotiations on a multi-phase arrangement involving full hostage return, an end to hostilities, and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, talks broke down after the first phase.
Israel’s refusal to negotiate terms for further phases, coupled with Hamas’s unwillingness to extend the truce, led to a renewed offensive by Israeli forces in both the northern and southern regions of the Strip.
Follow us
