‘US close to getting Israeli hostages in Gaza back’: Donald Trump claims direct dealing with Hamas

President Donald Trump on Thursday, April 10, announced that the United States was close to getting all Israeli hostages being held in Gaza back to Israel. Donald Trump also claimed that he was dealing with both Israel and Hamas, but he gave no other details about the talks.

“Getting close to getting hostages in Gaza back,” Trump announced, adding that he was dealing with both Hamas and Israel to secure peace in the region.

Donald Trump had met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday, April 7, and emphasised that end of war in Gaza was “not-too-distant future”.

When asked on his election promise to end war in Gaza, Donald Trump said, “I would like to see the war stop, and I think the war will stop at some point, that won't be in the too-distant future.”

The US President had also said that the progress was on to secure release of all prisoners held by Hamas in Gaza.

The development has come as Israel Defense Forces (IDF) detonated 35 buildings and tunnels in a 24 hour period in military operations in Gaza overnight and this morning.

Also Read | Israel consulted US on its strikes in Gaza; Donald Trump made it clear Hamas ‘will have a price to pay’

An IDF Spokesperson said, “IDF forces continue to operate in the Gaza Strip and destroy dozens of terrorist infrastructures in the area, the Air Force attacked approximately 35 terrorist targets over the past 24 hours.”

“Over the past 24 hours, the forces eliminated a number of terrorists, located and destroyed terrorist infrastructures and continued to operate to establish operational control in the area.”

Israel attacked Gaza Strip after Hamas-led fighters launched a multi-front strike on southern Israel on October 7 in 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage, according to Israeli tallies. Since then, Israel has so far killed more than 50,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities.