NETANYAHU THANKS TRUMP FOR STRONG HOSTAGE STATEMENT – President Trump expects release of hostages before Jan 20th inauguration
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked U.S. President-elect Donald Trump for issuing a statement demanding that hostages held in the Gaza Strip be released ahead of his Jan. 20 inauguration.
“This adds another force to our continued effort to release all the hostages. Thank you, President Trump,” Netanyahu said at the start of a cabinet meeting in Nahariya. Writing on Truth Social on Monday, December 2nd, and without naming any group, Trump said the hostages had to be freed by the time he was sworn in.
During their deadly 2023 attack on Israel, Hamas-led militants captured more than 250 people, according to Israeli tallies, including dual Israeli-American nationals. Around half of the 101 foreign and Israeli hostages still held incommunicado in Gaza are believed to be alive.
