Trump Hosts Israeli Hostages, Families After Hamas Strike

President Donald Trump hosted a meeting at the White House with former Israeli hostages and families of those still held captive by Hamas, following an Israeli strike on Hamas leaders in Qatar. The gathering included key U.S. officials such as Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, underscoring the administration's commitment to securing the release of the remaining 48 hostages in Gaza. Trump expressed optimism about a potential deal to end the war soon, aligning with Israeli leaders’ objectives to disarm Hamas, recover hostages, demilitarize Gaza, and establish Israeli security control and a new civilian administration. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged countries harboring Hamas members, including Qatar, to extradite them or face Israeli action, comparing Israel's targeted strikes to the U.S. operation against Osama bin Laden. Meanwhile, Qatari leadership warned of possible retaliation following the Israeli strikes, highlighting regional tensions. The meeting reflected ongoing high-level efforts to resolve the hostage crisis amid complex geopolitical dynamics in the Middle East.