Monday 12 / May / 2025
Hamas has announced it intends to release Edan Alexander, believed to be the last living US hostage in Gaza, as it strives to restart ceasefire talks.
The Palestinian group, listed as a terrorist organization by several countries, including the US, said on Sunday that it had held rare direct talks with US representatives in Doha.
Senior Hamas officials said Alexander's release is expected to take place within 48 hours, several news agencies are reporting.
The family of 21-year-old Alexander said they had been informed that he might be released "in the coming days."
Though the group did not say when Alexander's release would take place, the announcement comes as US President Donald Trump prepares to visit the region next week.
What do we know about the US-Hamas talks?
Hamas officials reported the talks to news agencies, saying they revolved around "a ceasefire in Gaza, a prisoner exchange and the entry of humanitarian aid."
Khalil al-Hayyah, a Hamas leader in Gaza, said in a statement that Hamas is ready to "immediately start intensive negotiations" to reach a final deal for a long-term truce, which includes an end to the war, the exchange of Palestinian prisoners and Israeli hostages in Gaza and the handing over of power in Gaza to an independent body of technocrats.
"Israeli soldier Edan Alexander, a dual US national, will be released as part of efforts toward a ceasefire" in Gaza and the reopening of aid crossings, Hamas said in a statement.
Trump hails news of hostage release as 'monumental'
US President Donald Trump has confirmed that Alexander will be coming home to his family.
In a post on his platform Truth Social, Trump said he was "grateful to all those involved in making this monumental news happen."
"Hopefully this is the first of those final steps necessary to end this brutal conflict," he added.
Israel says negotiations to be held 'under fire'
The office of Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it had been informed of Alexander's release.
"The US has informed Israel of Hamas's intention to release soldier Edan Alexander as a gesture to the Americans, without conditions or anything in exchange," the office posted on X.
But, it added in a second post, in "accordance with Israel's policy, the negotiations will be held under fire, based on the commitment to achieve all of the objectives of the war."
Israeli strikes continued on Sunday, with Gaza's civil defense agency reporting the deaths of 12 people, including four young children.
Hamas took some 250 hostages when it carried out the October 7, 2023, attacks on southern Israel, which killed 1,200 people. Some 58 hostages remain held in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.
Israel resumed its bombardment of Gaza on March 2, ending a two-month ceasefire and imposing a total blockade on the enclave.
Israel's sustained military assault in Gaza has killed more than 52,800 Palestinians, according to figures from health authorities of Hamas, which runs Gaza. Numbers published by the agency are regarded as reliable by international organizations.
