Only 50 hostages still alive in Gaza, US officials say - Wall Street Journal

Only 50 out of the remaining 120 hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza are believed to still be alive, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Thursday morning, citing US officials.

According to the report, following the rescue mission of four Israeli hostages in Gaza, many more were returned to Israel dead, which led to growing concerns regarding the remaining hostages' return home and the government's objective to dismantle the terrorist organization Hamas in Gaza.

At the beginning of the war, the report noted that people were hoping for a phone call from the IDF saying that their loved ones were expected to return safely.

However, “what is happening now is that the families have the opposite feeling,” said Gili Roman, whose sister, Yarden Roman Gat, was released from Hamas captivity. Roman has another relative, Carmel Gat, who is among the remaining hostages still held in Gaza.

“It’s about who will get a phone call saying the body of your family member has been found or he has been declared dead,” she added.

Hostages estimates

Of the approximately 250 people Hamas took hostage on October 7, only 120 are believed to still be held by Hamas in Gaza, some of which died during their captivity.

Nonetheless, according to the WSJ mediators in the hostage deal talks and a US official who is familiar with current intelligence claimed that only up to 50 of the remaining hostages are possibly still alive.

According to this estimate, there are around 25 more dead held by Hamas than official Israeli reports account for.

Officials from the US and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office declined to comment. Hamas refused to comment as well but has noted to the mediators that it does not know how many of the hostages are still alive.