Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated an incorrect number of hostages while being interviewed by Ben Shapiro, which was released on the political commentator's YouTube channel on Monday, a day shy of the two-year anniversary of Hamas's October 7 attacks.
Netanyahu incorrectly states twice what the number of remaining captives is. "What started in Gaza will end in Gaza, with the release of 40 of our hostages, 46 actually," he incorrectly states.
As of Tuesday, the correct number of hostages in Gaza is 48. After Hamas's massacres two years ago, the number of hostages was 251, including four hostages who were in Gaza before October 7, 2023.
The Hostages Family Forum demanded that the prime minister explain the incorrect number of abductees he stated in the interview.
Return of hostages will begin Trump's peace plan, PM states
The prime minister previously said on Sunday that US President Donald Trump's peace plan will be enacted until all 48 hostages are returned to Israeli territory.
Netanyahu stated that if the hostages are not released by Trump’s deadline, "Israel will resume fighting with full backing from all involved countries."
Amichai Stein contributed to this report.