A total of 50 hostages remain in the Gaza Strip of the 251 people abducted by Hamas during its October 7, 2023, attack on Israel that killed approximately 1,200 people. Israeli authorities say 20 of the hostages are still alive. Hamas-run health authorities report over 57,000 Palestinian deaths since 2023 in the Israel's response.

Netanyahu said his meeting with Trump focused on freeing hostages in Gaza, and stressed his determination to "eliminate" the capabilities of Hamas.

Israel and Hamas are believed to have agreed that 10 living hostages and the remains of 18 others should be released during the first 60 days of a cease-fire, but they have not reached a consensus on how many Palestinian prisoners should be freed during the same period. Up to 20 hostages are still thought to be alive.