JC Israel Briefing Day 579: Trump downgrades living hostage numbers

The operation came as the United States decided to halt its own air campaign against the Houthis, citing a pledge by the group to stop attacking international shipping. Israeli officials said they were not consulted. Defence sources said Israel’s strikes would continue regardless of the US shift and described the response to the Ben-Gurion attack as proportionate.

Nearly half of Gaza’s population would consider emigrating after the war – and almost as many are open to applying for Israeli help to do so, according to a poll by a veteran Palestinian think tank. The Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research found that 43 per cent of Gazans would be willing to leave and 49 per cent of those would seek Israeli assistance to emigrate through airports or ports. The findings follow public US proposals to relocate Gaza’s population for reconstruction, which were rejected by Egypt and Jordan but supported by Israel. Though 56 per cent of Gazans said they would prefer to stay, the openness to leaving points to a major shift in attitudes among Gaza’s population.

Elsewhere, a former IDF chief and opposition politician said yesterday that Israel must maintain full military control over Gaza, the West Bank, southern Lebanon, and the Syrian border. Benny Gantz, widely regarded as a centrist, said this was vital to national security and warned against concessions. “Anyone talking about a Palestinian state is disconnected from reality,” he added.

Gantz also called Israel’s 2005 full withdrawal from Gaza a mistake. He rejected rebuilding settlements in the Strip but said that Israel needs to keep a military presence. Opposition politicians to his left criticised his comments.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said that only 21 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza are still alive. “As of today, it’s 21, three have died,” Trump said of the hostages still being held by Hamas, noting until recently it had been 24 people believed to be living. He did not elaborate on the identities of those now believed to be dead, nor how he had come to learn of their deaths. “There’s 21, plus a lot of dead bodies,” Trump said.

Hostage families demanded clarity, calling on the Israeli government to confirm whether new information was being withheld. Israel’s hostage envoy Gal Hirsch maintained that 59 hostages are in Hamas custody, with 24 believed alive and 35 confirmed dead.

But Trump said yesterday that he will be making a “very, very, very big announcement” related to the Middle East before travelling to the region next week. He gave no details but described it as “as big as it gets” and said it is of a positive nature. There is speculation it may involve expanding the Abraham Accords, which have brought diplomatic ties between Israel and Arab states.

In Gaza, senior Hamas operatives surrendered to Israeli forces near Rafah, the IDF confirmed. Troops surrounded several buildings before the militants laid down their weapons. The detainees were transferred to Shin Bet custody for interrogation. Military officials said further arrests are expected as operations continue in the area.

Israel said it hit a Hamas command post inside a school in Gaza’s Bureij camp. Palestinian officials said 22 civilians were killed. The IDF said the site was used for operational control and that surveillance confirmed Hamas presence. The Gaza Health Ministry said the shelter housed displaced families.

Finally, Israel has not received a new U.S. ceasefire proposal, a senior official said, rejecting Arabic media reports that a deal had been passed to Egypt. The alleged offer included partial hostage releases and increased humanitarian aid. Israeli officials said no formal framework was presented.

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