ISLAMIC militant group, Hamas, said it has released Israeli-American hostage, Edan Alexander, who is believed to be the last living captive with United States (US) nationality in Gaza, as part of efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement.
The decision comes ahead of US President Donald Trump’s visit to the Middle East on Tuesday, May 13 and what Hamas said was also intended to facilitate a deal for the entry of humanitarian aid.
Recall that Gaza has been under an Israeli blockade for 70 days.
Earlier, a senior Hamas official told the BBC that the Palestinian armed group, which has been designated a terror organisation by Israel and many Western countries, was holding direct negotiations with a US administration official in Qatar.
The Israeli prime minister’s office said it had not committed to any ceasefire, but only to a “safe corridor” for Alexander’s release.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said preparations to intensify fighting were still continuing and the release of Alexander had been made possible because of military pressure on Hamas.
A senior Palestinian official familiar with the negotiations with the US in Qatar told the BBC that Hamas’s announcement was intended as a goodwill gesture before Trump’s arrival.
He added that another meeting between Hamas and the mediators was scheduled for early Monday morning to finalise the process of Alexander’s release, which would require a temporary halt to Israeli military activity and a suspension of aerial operations during the handover.
Trump confirmed Alexander’s release in a post on his Truth Social, calling it “monumental news” and “a step taken in good faith.”
Born in Tel Aviv, but raised in New Jersey, 21-year-old Alexander was serving in an elite infantry unit on the border with Gaza when he was captured by Hamas militants during the October 7, 2023, attack.
Of the 251 hostages taken during the attack, 59 remain in the enclave, up to 24 of whom are believed to be alive. Five of the hostages in Gaza are believed to be US citizens and Alexander was thought to be the only one still alive.
His family said they had “received the greatest gift imaginable, news that our beautiful son, Edan, is returning home after 583 days in captivity in Gaza.
“We express our deepest gratitude to President Trump, Steve Witkoff and the US administration for their tireless work to make this happen.
“We urge the Israeli government and the negotiating teams: please don’t stop. We hope our son’s release begins negotiations for all 58 remaining hostages, ending this nightmare for them and their families. No hostage should be left behind.”
Egypt and Qatar also released a joint statement saying that Hamas agreeing to free Alexander was an “encouraging step toward a return to the negotiating table.”
In its statement, Hamas said it wanted to reach a final agreement to end the war, while Netanyahu’s office said in an earlier statement that it had been informed by the US of Hama’s intention to release Alexander “as a gesture towards the Americans” and that the move was expected to lead to negotiations on further hostages.
Israel’s policy was that negotiations would be conducted “under fire, based on the commitment to achieve all of the objectives of the war,” it added.
Hamas has in the past said it will only agree to a deal that includes the end of the war, something that has been repeatedly rejected by Netanyahu.
The talks between Hamas and the US are taking place amid multiple reports suggesting growing frustration in the Trump administration with the position of Netanyahu, who is also under pressure at home, with many accusing him of prolonging the war for political purposes.
Trump arrives in the Middle East on Tuesday, and Israel has vowed to expand its military offensive against Hamas if no deal is reached by the end of his visit.
Israeli officials have said plans for their expanded offensive include seizing all of the territory indefinitely, forcibly displacing Palestinians to the south, and taking over aid distribution with private companies, despite opposition from the United Nations (UN) and its humanitarian partners, who vowed not to cooperate because it appears to “weaponise” aid.
Israel has already blocked the entry of all food, medication and other humanitarian supplies into Gaza for 70 days, which aid agencies say amounts to a policy of starvation and could be a war crime.
Israel also renewed its aerial bombardment and other military operations there in mid-March, leading to the death of about 2,720 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
The war was triggered by the Hamas’ attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which saw about 1,200 people killed and over 250 hostage taken.
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