Donald Trump Surprised Half of Israeli Prisoners Are Alive as Israel Tells Him and Biden to Prioritize Their Release

Washington (Quds News Network)- Donald Trump expressed surprise after learning that half of the Israeli prisoners are believed to still be alive, according to a report by Axios. The revelation came during a phone call between Trump and Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who contacted Trump to congratulate him on his election victory.

Herzog reportedly told the president-elect that securing the release of 101 Israeli prisoners was an urgent priority. Trump responded by saying he believed that “almost all of them have most likely died.” Herzog countered, explaining that Israeli intelligence assessed that half of the prisoners were still alive. Sources briefed on the call confirmed that Trump appeared surprised and said he had been unaware of this information.

The issue was also raised during Herzog’s meeting with President Joe Biden at the White House on November 11. Herzog told Biden to coordinate with Trump on a strategy for addressing the prisoners’ issue before Trump takes office in January. Two days later, Biden hosted Trump in the Oval Office for a two-hour meeting, where the topic of the prisoners dominated their discussion.

Biden reportedly told Trump he was willing to work together to push for a deal with the resistance movement Hamas. Speaking to families of American prisoners after his conversation with Trump, Biden said, “I don’t care if Trump gets all the credit as long as they come back home,” according to sources with direct knowledge of the meeting.

For over a year, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has refused to approve any prisoner exchange deal, insisting that such agreements must not force him to end the genocide in Gaza or withdraw Israeli forces. Netanyahu’s position has drawn widespread criticism, especially with leaks reporting his actual involvement in thwarting any agreement to release Israeli prisoners.

Israel’s ongoing genocide has resulted in over 43,000 deaths, with the majority of victims being women and children. The intense bombardment has also left tens of thousands injured and displaced countless families. Rights groups and international bodies have repeatedly called for an immediate ceasefire and demanded accountability for the genocide.