Hamas Announces Release of American Hostage Edan Alexander from Gaza

Hamas said Sunday it is preparing to release Edan Alexander, the last known U.S. citizen hostage held alive in the Gaza Strip, as part of an effort to secure a ceasefire with Israel and after what it said were direct contacts with the Trump administration “in the last few days.”

President Donald Trump’s emissary for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, validated the statement made by the militant organization during an interview with NBC News. He mentioned that he was heading to Israel and planned to meet this individual "likely sometime tomorrow."

Following a tweet on X, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the United States was informed by Israel about Hamas’s plan to release soldier Edan Alexander as a goodwill gesture towards America, with no preconditions or demands attached.

In a subsequent post On X, Netanyahu’s office stated early Monday local time that Alexander’s release was made possible due to Israel’s "robust approach" supported by President Trump. The statement also noted that Israel will create a secure passage for Alexander's release; however, this does not include agreeing to a ceasefire or releasing detainees.

Adi Alexander, Edan’s father, mentioned in a WhatsApp conversation that Israeli officials had notified him about his son's impending release but didn’t specify when it would happen. He stated that both he and Edan’s mother were getting ready to head to Israel from their residence in New Jersey.

Administration officials did not respond to requests for comment about contacts with Hamas.

Several hours after news of Alexander’s expected release had broken, Trump posted on his Truth Social site that he was “coming home to his family.” He described it as “a step taken in good faith … to put an end to this very brutal war and return ALL living hostages and remains to their loved ones.”

In a social media post late Sunday, Vice President JD Vance said: “Pray that Hamas follows through and Edan gets to come home.” He credited Witkoff, who is also negotiating an end to the Ukraine-Russia war and nuclear talks between the United States and Iran, with “another triumph.”

The upcoming release coincides with Trump's planned trip to the Persian Gulf later this week. However, he deliberately omitted Israel from his schedule due to numerous reports suggesting that he has become progressively annoyed with Netanyahu’s ongoing efforts to extend and intensify the conflict in Gaza, which Trump had previously promised to swiftly conclude upon taking office.

Alexander, who is 21 years old and holds both U.S. and Israeli citizenships as well as being part of the Israel Defense Forces, was one of roughly 250 individuals seized by Hamas during their assault on October 7, 2023, within southern Israel. This incident led to approximately 1,200 casualties, primarily Israelis. Following this event, out of those initially captured, around 145 have either been set free or let go under two short truces negotiated against the backdrop of swapping detained Palestinians held by Israel. Around eighty-two captives lost their lives since then, leaving an estimate suggesting that up to twenty-four might still be alive, including Alexander.

The situation regarding the hostages has become more controversial within Israel, leading to numerous sizable protests. Many of these demonstrations were organized by families of both freed and captive hostages who are calling for Netanyahu to halt the conflict before additional lives are lost due to escalating military actions. Netanyahu has stated that although he aims to rescue the hostages, his broader objective includes the destruction of Hamas within Gaza.

The negotiations have stalled because Hamas is demanding that any ceasefire agreement includes a permanent cessation of hostilities backed by the United States, which Israel opposes. Additionally, Israel insists that all hostages must be released right away.

Since the collapse of the most recent ceasefire in March, negotiated by the United States, with Qatar and Egypt as mediators, Israel has resumed attacks in Gaza with increasing intensity. For the past two months, it has imposed a blockade on the entry of food, water, fuel and other humanitarian aid into the enclave, claiming that previous aid shipments were stolen by Hamas, a charge that humanitarian organizations have disputed. The United Nations has said that many of Gaza’s more than 2 million people are on the verge of starvation.

On Monday, Trump stated that the individuals in Gaza "are suffering from hunger, and we will assist them in obtaining food." The administration supports this approach and credits it as a Trump initiative—a proposal backed by Israel aimed at delivering assistance to carefully screened Palestinians within specific areas designated by the IDF in southern Gaza. However, both the United Nations and most humanitarian organizations working in Gaza have declined involvement, arguing that the plan falls short, is impractical, and contravenes their impartiality along with international laws.

The Hamas statement released Sunday by Khalil al-Hayya, the head of the group’s negotiating team, said that during contacts with the United States in recent days, “the movement has expressed a high degree of positivity, and the release of Israeli soldier Edan Alexander … will be among the steps taken toward achieving a ceasefire, reopening the crossings, and allowing aid and relief to reach our people in the Gaza Strip.”

It “affirms” readiness by Hamas to “immediately begin intensive negotiations and exert serious efforts to reach a final agreement to end the war, exchange prisoners by mutual consent, and ensure the administration” of Gaza “by an independent and professional body.”

Lior Soroka from Tel Aviv, Joanna Slater from Williamstown, Mass., and Andrew Jeong from Seoul contributed to this report.