Fewer than 24 Israeli hostages remain alive, Trump says
Article content
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he recently learned that fewer than 24 hostages remain alive in Hamas captivity.
Article content
Article content
'Out of 59, you had 24 that were living, and now I understand that it's not even that number,' Trump commented regarding the figures that Israeli authorities have publicly shared in recent months.
Article content
The president spoke during a National Day of Prayer event at the White House attended by the parents of U.S.-Israeli Hamas captive Edan Alexander.
Article content
Article content
'Edan Alexander's parents are here today. He is the last known living American hostage,' Trump said. 'We don't know how he's doing, really. We think we know, and hopefully positive,' he added.
Article content
Article content
'Two months ago, we were pretty sure. It looked like he was getting out. But they've (Hamas) toughened up a little bit. And it's a terrible thing, I know, what you're going through,' Trump told Yael and Adi Alexander.
Article content
On Monday, Sara Netanyahu, the wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, interrupted him when the premier said there are 'up to 24 alive.'
Article content
'To date, we have returned 196 of our hostages, 147 alive,' Netanyahu said during an event honouring Israelis and Diaspora Jews picked to light torches at the main state Independence Day ceremony.
Article content
'There are up to 24 alive,' Netanyahu continued his remarks, followed by a brief pause and his wife whispering 'fewer' into his ear.
Article content
Sara Netanyahu's response was based on classified information that was relayed to Cabinet ministers, the Kan News public broadcaster reported.
Article content
Article content
Speaking at the annual International Bible Contest in Jerusalem on Thursday, Independence Day, Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that there are 'up to 24 living, 59 in total. We want to bring back the living and the deceased as well.
Article content
Article content
'It's a very important goal,' the prime minister continued, while adding, 'In the war, there is the ultimate goal, and that ultimate goal is the victory over our enemies, and that we will achieve.'
Article content
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Global News
18 minutes ago
- Global News
World Bank lowers global growth forecast, citing trade war ‘turbulence'
U.S. President Donald Trump's trade wars are expected to slash economic growth this year in the United States and around the world, the World Bank forecast Tuesday. Citing 'a substantial rise in trade barriers'' but without mentioning Trump by name, the 189-country lender predicted that the U.S. economy – the world's largest – would grow half as fast (1.4 per cent) this year as it did in 2024 (2.8 per cent). That marked a downgrade from the 2.3 per cent U.S. growth it had forecast back for 2025 back in January. The bank also lopped 0.4 percentage points off its forecast for global growth this year. It now expects the world economy to expand just 2.3 per cent in 2025, down from 2.8 per cent in 2024. In a forward to the latest version of the twice-yearly Global Economic Prospects report, World Bank chief economist Indermit Gill wrote that the global economy has missed its chance for the 'soft landing'' — slowing enough to tame inflation without generating serious pain — it appeared headed for just six months ago. Story continues below advertisement 'The world economy today is once more running into turbulence,' Gill wrote. 'Without a swift course correction, the harm to living standards could be deep.'' Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy America's economic prospects have been clouded by Trump's erratic and aggressive trade policies, including 10 per cent taxes — tariffs — on imports from almost every country in the world. These levies drive up costs in the U.S. and invite retaliation from other countries. 1:46 Can the Liberal government's trade bill unify Canada's economy? The Chinese economy is forecast to see growth slow from five per cent in 2024 to 4.5 per cent this year and four per cent next. The world's second-largest economy has been hobbled by the tariffs that Trump has imposed on its exports, by the collapse of its real estate market and by an aging workforce. The World Bank expects the 20 European countries that share the euro currency to collectively grow just 0.7 per cent this year, down from an already lackluster 0.9 per cent in 2024. Story continues below advertisement Trump's tariffs are expected to hurt European exports. And the unpredictable way he rolls them out — announcing them, suspending them, coming up with new ones — has created uncertainty that discourages business investment. India is once again expected to the be world's fastest-growing major economy, expanding at a 6.3 per cent clip this year. But that's down from 6.5 per cent in 2024 and from the 6.7 per cent the bank had forecast for 2025 in January. In Japan, economic growth is expected to accelerate this year – but only from 0.2 per cent in 2024 to a sluggish 0.7 per cent this year, well short of the 1.2 per cent the World Bank had forecast in January. The World Bank seeks to reduce poverty and boost living standards by providing grants and low-rate loans to poor economies. Another multinational organization that seeks to promote global prosperity — the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development — last week downgraded its forecast for the U.S. and global economies.
Global News
30 minutes ago
- Global News
‘Arrest me': California governor dares Trump as L.A. ICE protests escalate
California Gov. Gavin Newsom urged U.S. President Donald Trump to stop targeting immigrants and arrest him instead after the deployment of an additional 2,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles on Monday. Trump had already sent 2,000 National Guard troops to the city on Sunday as violence escalated during three days of demonstrations driven by outrage over the president's ramped-up enforcement of his immigration policy that critics say is tearing migrant families apart. View image in full screen Demonstrators protest outside a downtown jail in Los Angeles following two days of clashes with police during a series of immigration raids on June 8, 2025. Spencer Platt / Getty Images Monday's protests saw fewer violent clashes between civilians and U.S. military forces, as thousands of participants marched peacefully at city hall and hundreds outside of a federal detention centre where some immigrants are being held following sweeping citywide raids. Story continues below advertisement View image in full screen Hundreds of protesters gather to demand an immediate end to Immigration and Customs Enforcement workplace raids in Los Angeles, Calif., on June 8, 2025. (PhotTayfun Coskun / Getty Images On Monday, Trump endorsed the arrest of Newsom by Tom Homan, the U.S. border czar, telling reporters, 'I would do it, I think it's great.' On Tuesday, Newsom responded to Trump in a television interview saying, 'Get it over with, arrest me.' Story continues below advertisement 'If you need some head to scalp, do it with me, but stop messing with these kids, stop messing with four-year-olds, kids in elementary school,' he continued, adding there are hundreds of students in California who are not attending their graduation ceremonies in fear of their classmates being detained by ICE. Last week, 18-year-old Marcelo Gomes Da Silva from Milford, Mass., was absent from his girlfriend's graduation, where he was supposed to play drums in the school band, because he was detained by ICE on his way to volleyball practice. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Still in their gowns, students rallied for his return after the ceremony. View image in full screen Family and classmates of Marcelo Gomes Da Silva protested outside of Milford Town Hall on June 1, 2025, a day after the teen was detained by ICE on his way to volleyball practice. Jessica Rinaldi / Getty Images Gomes Da Silva was released from custody on bond on June 6. Story continues below advertisement Despite his call to Trump, Newsom has not been charged with any crimes, and there is no evidence that he has committed an offence or broken any laws, nor has he been accused by anyone in government of conduct that could lead to criminal charges, according to NBC News. The outlet added that Trump's statement was followed by a warning from Homan, who suggested over the weekend that state and local officials could face arrest and criminal charges if they interfere with federal agents executing raids. In recent weeks, the Trump administration has arrested numerous political and judicial officials, alleging they acted in contravention of its anti-immigration mandate. Ras Baraka, the Democratic mayor of Newark, N.J., was arrested by ICE during a visit to a federal immigration detention centre that he says is violating safety protocols. Story continues below advertisement Similarly, Democratic U.S. House member LaMonica McIver was charged after visiting an ICE detention facility in New Jersey. In April, a sitting Wisconsin judge, Hannah Dugan, was also taken into custody and charged with crimes that allegedly obstructed the detention of an undocumented immigrant, according to the FBI. On Tuesday, United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said before the House Committee that military personnel would remain in Los Angeles for 60 days to 'ensure that those rioters, looters and thugs on the other side assaulting our police officers know that we're not going anywhere.' Trump, who has repeatedly referred to Newsom as 'Newscum' this week, also said in a Truth Social post that the protesters in Los Angeles were 'violent insurrectionist mobs' who 'are swarming and attacking federal agents,' adding that 'order will be restored and the Illegals will be expelled.' As the protests escalated, Trump continued to comment on social media, writing Monday, 'Looking really bad in L.A. BRING IN THE TROOPS!!!' In January, on his first day of his second term in office, the president pardoned 1,500 people charged with crimes for their role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, including those convicted of assaulting police officers. Following Trump's claims of insurgency, Newsom responded to Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller's X comments, which accused the governor of overseeing 'a criminal sanctuary for millions of illegal alien invaders, cartel killers, foreign terrorists, transnational gangs and insurrectionist mobs,' with the rebuttal: 'The only people defending insurrectionists are you and @realDonaldTrump…or, are we pretending like you didn't pardon 1500 of them?' Story continues below advertisement The only people defending insurrectionists are you and @realDonaldTrump. Or, are we pretending like you didn't pardon 1500 of them? — Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) June 10, 2025 Newsom also confirmed Monday that California will sue Trump over his deployment of the National Guard to quash protests without the consent of the governor. The deployment of the National Guard without the permission of a state governor marked a significant escalation against those seeking to hamper the government's mass deportation efforts. The last time a president invoked this power was in 1965, when Lyndon B. Johnson sent troops to protect a civil rights march in Alabama, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. — With files from The Associated Press
Toronto Sun
an hour ago
- Toronto Sun
‘MADE A MISTAKE': Elon Musk's father blames stress for son's feud with Trump
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and Elon Musk watch the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket on Nov. 19, 2024 in Brownsville, Texas. Photo by Brandon Bell / Photographer: Brandon Bell/Getty Elon Musk's father is speaking out on his son's social media feud with U.S. President Donald Trump, and it appears Errol Musk doesn't have a ton of faith in the SpaceX billionaire. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Errol claimed that exhaustion and stress led to the two men's nasty back-and-forth, but tipped the scales in Trump's favour, claiming Elon 'made a mistake' to try to go toe-to-toe with the president. 'They've been under a lot of stress for five months. And it gives them a break,' Errol told Russia media, according to the New York Post . 'You know, they've had to get rid of all the opposition, try and put the country back on track, and do normal things and so forth,' Errol continued. 'They're very tired and stressed. And so you can expect something like this. It's not unusual.' That said, now that tantrums appear to be over and cooler heads have perhaps prevailed, Errol seemed to be on Team Trump. 'Trump will prevail. He's the president,' the elder Musk said. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'He was elected as the president, so Elon made a mistake, I think. But he's tired. He's stressed.' RECOMMENDED VIDEO Elon had slowly been stepping away from his role with the Trump administration over the last few weeks over the 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act,' due to the billionaire's concerns about its impact on the deficit. On May 29, he announced on X that his 'scheduled time as a special government employee comes to an end,' and Musk and Trump made it official the following day with a press conference to make the end of the Tesla CEO's White House tenure. But a few days later, during an interview on CBS's Sunday Morning Show , Musk attacked the bill, calling it a 'disgusting abomination.' Then on June 5, Musk went off, declaring on X that without his help, 'Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 5, 2025 Musk even appeared to back impeaching Trump and then dropped a since-deleted 'big bomb' claiming that the president is in the Epstein files and that's the 'real reason they have not been made public.' Trump didn't sit on his hands, and suggested that Musk had 'lost his mind' and gone 'crazy.' There were also reports about Musk's increasing drug use and addiction, which the richest man in the world denied. Trump even threatened to sever lucrative federal contracts with Musk's companies, while the tech mogul suggested he would decommission the Dragon spacecraft, the government's main method of getting into orbit — but he quickly walked back the threat. Read More 'Elon wants to stick to the principles of not giving in to the Democrats (and) their stupid ideas,' Errol said. 'It's normal, it's just a small thing, (it) will be over tomorrow.' Elon has said he is open to patching things up with Trump, but the president said he's 'not really interested.' 'I'm not thinking about Elon. You know, I just wish him well.' Toronto Blue Jays NHL Columnists Toronto Maple Leafs Columnists
