Hamas has announced it will release Edan Alexander, an Israeli soldier with US citizenship, as part of ongoing efforts to secure a permanent ceasefire with Israel.
The 21-year-old is believed to be the last living American hostage held in Gaza. His release is expected to take place on Tuesday, according to sources quoted by Reuters.
Alexander was 19 when he was captured during the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack on southern Israel. He was taken from his base near the Gaza border.
In a statement on Sunday, Hamas said it had been in recent contact with the US administration and confirmed it would release Alexander as “part of the steps being taken to achieve a ceasefire, open the crossings, and allow aid and relief to reach our people in the Gaza Strip.”
Former US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Wittes, confirmed he would travel to Israel to help secure Alexander’s release, describing it as a “gesture of goodwill”.
“We are picking him up tomorrow,” he told NBC News. “There was a long negotiation with lots of people to thank.”
The Hostage Families Forum welcomed the announcement, calling it a “significant moment” and expressing support for the Alexander family. The group said his release should “mark the beginning of a comprehensive agreement that will secure the freedom of all remaining hostages.”
US Special Envoy Adam Boehler described the move as “a positive step forward” and said Washington was pushing for Hamas to also return the bodies of four other Americans believed to have been killed.
The news came as officials confirmed that the US, Egypt and Qatar were involved in broader negotiations with Hamas aimed at reaching a long-term truce.
Mr Trump is also due to visit the Middle East later this week, with planned stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
His four-day trip is expected to focus on regional diplomacy and new investment deals.
Meanwhile, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the US had notified Israel that Alexander’s release was “a goodwill gesture toward the Americans without compensation or conditions.”
The Biden administration reportedly hopes the development will revive negotiations under the “Witkoff framework” – a March proposal that would see Hamas release half of its remaining hostages in exchange for a temporary ceasefire and talks on a permanent truce.
While Israel has agreed to the plan, Hamas has so far rejected it, demanding a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a permanent end to hostilities in exchange for the remaining hostages.
It’s believed around 59 hostages are still in Gaza, with roughly a third of them thought to be alive. Most of the others were released in earlier agreements or prisoner swaps.
