By Wafaa Shurafa, Zeke Miller and Samy Magdy | Related Press
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Hamas stated Sunday that the final residing American hostage in Gaza, Edan Alexander, shall be launched as a part of efforts to ascertain a ceasefire, reopen crossings into the Israeli-blockaded territory and resume the supply of help. Two Hamas officers instructed The Related Press they count on the discharge within the subsequent 48 hours.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed late Sunday in a message to AP that Hamas had agreed to launch Alexander as will gesture towards Trump.
The announcement of the primary hostage launch since Israel shattered a ceasefire in March comes shortly earlier than Trump visits the Center East this week. It highlighted the willingness of Israel’s closest ally to inject momentum into ceasefire talks for the 19-month warfare as desperation grows amongst hostages’ households and Gaza’s over 2 million individuals underneath the brand new Israeli blockade.
“This was a step taken in good faith towards the United States and the efforts of the mediators — Qatar and Egypt — to put an end to this very brutal war and return ALL living hostages and remains to their loved ones,” Trump stated on his social media platform Reality Social on Sunday night. “Hopefully this is the first of those final steps necessary to end this brutal conflict. I look very much forward to that day of celebration!”
Alexander is an Israeli-American soldier who grew up in New Jersey. He was kidnapped from his base in the course of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led assault that ignited the warfare in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace stated the U.S. knowledgeable it of Hamas’ intent to launch Alexander “without compensation or conditions” and that the step is predicted to result in negotiations on a truce. Netanyahu’s authorities was angered by U.S. direct talks with Hamas earlier this 12 months — which led to a Hamas supply to launch Alexander and the our bodies of 4 different hostages if Israel recommitted to a stalled ceasefire deal. Days later, nonetheless, Israel resumed the warfare.
Witkoff instructed the AP that Hamas’ objective in releasing Alexander was to restart talks on a ceasefire, the discharge of extra hostages and a surge of humanitarian help into Gaza earlier than Israel carries out a threatened whole takeover of the territory.
Khalil al-Hayyah, a Hamas chief in Gaza, stated the group has been in touch with the U.S. administration over the previous few days.
Al-Hayyah stated in an announcement Hamas is able to “immediately start intensive negotiations” to succeed in a remaining deal for a long-term truce, which incorporates an finish to the warfare, the trade of Palestinian prisoners and hostages in Gaza and the handing over of energy in Gaza to an unbiased physique of technocrats.
Oblique talks between Hamas and the U.S. started 5 days in the past, an Egyptian official and a senior Hamas official instructed the AP, with each describing the discharge of Alexander as a gesture of goodwill.
The senior Hamas official, talking on situation of anonymity as a result of he was not licensed to talk to the media, stated Alexander is predicted to be launched on Monday. Hamas was suggested to “give a gift to President Trump and in return he will give back a better one,” the official stated.
One other Hamas official, talking on situation of anonymity to debate negotiations, stated Alexander’s launch is predicted within the subsequent 48 hours, including that it requires Israel to pause preventing for a few hours.
The Egyptian official concerned in ceasefire negotiations, talking on situation of anonymity to debate talks, stated Hamas acquired assurances from the Trump administration via Egyptian and Qatari mediators that Alexander’s launch “will put all files on the negotiating table” together with an finish to the warfare.
Alexander’s dad and mom didn’t instantly return requests for remark.
Trump and Witkoff have regularly talked about Alexander, now 21, by identify previously few months. Witkoff was touring to the area on Monday forward of Alexander’s anticipated launch.
“Every time they say Edan’s name, it’s like they didn’t forget. They didn’t forget he’s American, and they’re working on it,” Edan’s mom, Yael Alexander, instructed The Related Press earlier this 12 months.
Hamas launched a video of Alexander in November in the course of the Thanksgiving weekend, his mom stated. The video was tough to look at as he cried and pleaded for assist, however it was a aid to see the most recent signal that he was alive, she stated.
The warfare started when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing some 1,200 individuals, largely civilians, and taking 251 hostage.
Israel’s offensive has killed over 52,800 Palestinians, largely ladies and kids, in line with Gaza’s Well being Ministry, which doesn’t say how lots of the lifeless have been combatants or civilians. The offensive has destroyed huge areas of the territory and displaced some 90% of its inhabitants.
Fifty-nine hostages are nonetheless in Gaza, round a 3rd of them believed to be alive. Many of the relaxation have been launched in ceasefire agreements or different offers. The Hostages Households Discussion board, the grassroots discussion board representing most hostage households, stated Alexander’s launch “must mark the beginning of a comprehensive agreement” that can free everybody.
Trump, whose administration has voiced full help for Israel’s actions, is about to go to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates this week in a regional tour.
Bombardment continues
Israeli strikes in a single day and into Sunday killed 15 individuals in Gaza, largely ladies and kids, in line with native well being officers.
Two strikes hit tents within the southern metropolis of Khan Younis, every killing two youngsters and their dad and mom, in line with Nasser Hospital, which acquired the our bodies. One other seven individuals have been killed in strikes elsewhere, together with a person and his baby in a Gaza Metropolis neighborhood, in line with hospitals and Gaza’s Well being Ministry.
The Israeli army says it solely targets militants and tries to keep away from harming civilians. It blames Hamas for civilian deaths within the 19-month-old warfare as a result of the militants are embedded in densely populated areas.
Israel has sealed Gaza off from all imports, together with meals, drugs and emergency shelter, for over 10 weeks in what it says is a strain tactic geared toward forcing Hamas to launch hostages. Israel in March shattered the ceasefire that had facilitated the discharge of greater than 30 hostages.
Assist teams say the humanitarian disaster is worse than at any time within the warfare, with meals operating low.
Israel recovers stays of soldier killed in Lebanon in 1982
In a separate improvement, Israel stated it retrieved the stays of a soldier killed in a 1982 battle in southern Lebanon after he had been categorised as lacking for greater than 4 many years.
The Israeli army stated Sgt. 1st Class Tzvi Feldman’s stays have been recovered from deep inside Syria, with out offering additional particulars.
Netanyahu visited Feldman’s surviving siblings and instructed them that the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar Assad late final 12 months led to an “opportunity” that allowed the army and the Mossad, Israel’s international intelligence company, to collect extra intelligence and find and retrieve the physique, in line with video launched by his workplace.
Feldman went lacking, together with 5 different Israeli troopers, in a battle with Syrian forces within the Lebanese city of Sultan Yaaqoub.
Magdy reported from Cairo and Miller from Washington. Related Press writers Bassem Mroue in Beirut, Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel, and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report.
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Initially Printed: Could 17, 2025 at 1:37 PM PDT
