US officials estimate just 50 Israeli hostages remain alive

“It seems like every week more hostages are dying or getting in danger or very sick,” he said.

Speaking to AFP earlier this week, an anonymous senior Israeli negotiator said that “dozens” of hostages were certainly still alive in Gaza.

“We cannot leave them there a long time, they will die,” they said.

A vast majority of those still in captivity are being held by Hamas, they claimed, with others potentially under the control of other militant groups or private citizens.

Repeated attempts to free the remaining hostages via a ceasefire deal have failed to come to fruition over recent months.

Earlier in June, several hostages, including Noa Argamani, were rescued in an operation led by Israeli forces.