After Sarah Netanyahu appears to say fewer than 24 hostages remain alive, officials say 24 is the accurate figure

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, met on Monday with those chosen to be torchbearers in the 77th Independence Day ceremony of the State of Israel, which will take place Wednesday evening on Mount Herzl. During the meeting, Sara Netanyahu caused a controversy when she appeared to correct her husband’s comment regarding the number of living hostages in Gaza. 

After speaking about Israel’s military victories over the past year, the prime minister said, “We have another important mission, of course, not only to win, but also to bring them home. To date, we have returned 196 of our captors, 147 alive. There are up to 24 living.” 

In video of the meeting, Sara is seen mouthing the Hebrew word for “less,” after which he responds, “I say up to,” before continuing “And the rest, of course, unfortunately, are not alive, and we will return them. It's the same spirit.” 

After Sara Netanyahu’s comments caused a political storm, especially among the hostage families, a source on the government’s hostage team said that the number of live hostages mentioned by Netanyahu is indeed the correct official number. 

The source told Hebrew media that the person in charge of the hostage issue, Gal Hirsch, also conveyed this number to the mediators during the ongoing hostage negotiations. 

After the uproar, Kan news reported that Sara Netanyahu’s remarks could have come from her exposure to confidential information shared with cabinet members regarding the dangers facing the remaining hostages. 

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum accused Sara Netanyahu of causing “indescribable horror” for the hostage families “who are already in a state of torturous uncertainty.” 

“What did you mean when you said ‘fewer’? Do you know something we don’t?” the Forum asked in a statement released after the video was distributed. “We demand the prime minister clarify his and his wife’s comments. If there is intelligence or new information about our loved ones’ condition, we demand to know it in full.” 

Einav Zangauker, the mother of hostage Matan Zangauker, who has become a fierce critic of Netanyahu, posted a message to 𝕏, saying that Netanyahu was announcing the “murder” of the hostages “on the eve of Memorial Day.” 

“If the Prime Minister's wife has new information about hostages who were killed, I demand from her to know whether my Matan is still alive or if he was murdered in captivity because your husband refuses to end the war,” Zangauker wrote on 𝕏. 

“You did something that should not be done, as far as all the families are concerned, it is their child that you determined was murdered in captivity, and this on the eve of Memorial Day.” 

She ended, writing, “We deserve different leadership!” 

Other social media users pointed out that Haaretz ran an article about two weeks ago, claiming that only 21 hostages are still alive. The Hebrew news site Channel 14, which is usually very supportive of Netanyahu and the coalition government, also noted that its political correspondent claimed to have heard the same figure, of 21 confirmed alive with another 3 possibly dead, but lacking confirmation. 

Channel 14 on April 5 cited a “senior political source” who stated, "There are at least 21 more abductees alive and 36 who are not alive.” 

The government has not explained the discrepancy between the statement by that political source, and the official statement released on Tuesday, claiming that 24 hostages are still alive.