The mother of Israeli hostage Matan Angrest said on Friday that someone told her over the phone that her son’s life was in immediate danger.
Writing on X, Anat Angrest said that she has underwent 700 sleepless nights since her son was abducted into Gaza by terrorists during the Hamas-led invasion of the northwestern Negev on Oct. 7, 2023.
She vowed to protest the next day outside of the Prime Minister’s Residence in Jerusalem, accompanied by “tens of thousands” of Israelis. “It will be loud, just like it’s loud near Matan from the echoes of explosions,” she said.
It was initially unclear who spoke with the mother, but on Saturday, Ofir Angrest, the captive’s 17-year-old brother, told Israeli public radio Kan’s Reshet Bet station that “We received information from a senior intelligence official that the Israel Defense Forces will operate in the area where Matan may be held—and his safety cannot be guaranteed.”
Ofir continued, “This is the first time we’re getting such a report, the first time in two years. If people are saying they can’t guarantee that Matan’s life won’t be harmed as a result of the operation, then we have nothing left to lose.”
Hamas terrorists murdered six hostages—four men and two women—shortly before IDF troops located their bodies in a tunnel in Rafah on Aug. 30, 2025, in the wake of an operation in the area. The six were Ori Danino, Carmel Gat, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alex Lubanov, Almog Sarusi and Eden Yerushalmi.
The Israeli military has recently launched “Operation Gideon’s Chariots II” with the aim to conquer Gaza City in the northern Strip, where some of the abductees may be held.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said on Friday: “We are deeply, profoundly worried. This operation poses an immediate and direct danger to our loved ones, who have languished in Hamas tunnels for 700 days. Sadly, we have not heard of any way to protect them, nor have we been presented with any plan to ensure that ‘Operation Gideon Chariots II’ will not turn into the ‘Murder of the Six II.’ Our 48 loved ones are at risk of being murdered and disappearing forever in the ruins of Gaza.”
There are 48 captives in Gaza, with up to 20 believed to be alive, according to Israeli estimates.
Speaking to reporters in the White House on Friday, President Donald Trump cast doubt over the number of hostages still alive in Gaza, saying that “there could be some [out of the 20] that have recently died.”
On Wednesday, the IDF said that it now controls roughly 40% of Gaza City after intensifying its ground offensive against Hamas.
Brig. Gen. Ephraim “Effie” Defrin, the IDF spokesperson, told reporters troops were pressing deeper into the enclave as part of the second phase of “Operation Gideon’s Chariots.” Tens of thousands of IDF reservists had been mobilized as a “force multiplier” to expand the ground assault, he noted.
