Hamas agreed to free Edan Alexander, a double US citizen and Israeli who is believed to be the last American citizen who is still captive in Gaza, weeks after saying that he had lost contact with the group that kept him hostage.
Its launch is part of “the steps that are being taken to achieve a fire, open the crosses and allow help,” said Khalil Al-Hayya, head of the Hamas Negotiation Team, in a statement on Sunday. Al-Hayya did not provide information about Alexander’s condition.
Steve Witkoff, the special envoy of the United States to the Middle East, confirmed the agreement to NBC News and said he travels to Israel to ensure Alexander’s release.
“We are probably collecting it tomorrow,” Witkoff said. “There was a long negotiation with many people to thank.”
He then described this as a gesture of goodwill towards President Donald Trump, adding that it is a great moment “in large part” due to Trump.
“The family is ecstatic,” Witkoff said.
Alexander was serving in Israel’s defense forces when he was taken hostage on October 7, 2023, along with approximately 250.
Hamas previously agreed to free Alexander in March along with the bodies of four other dual nationals. But weeks later, the militant group said he lost contact with the group that held it.
At that time, Hamas blamed the problem of Israeli attacks that hit the area where Alexander supposedly stopped.
Hamas and Israel agreed to high the temporary fire in January, which led to the release of hostages in exchange for freeing the Palestinians in Israeli custody. He also saw an influx of help for the Palestinians in the suspension of Gaza.
But the high fire fell apart in March after the negotiations stagnated on how to expand the pause in hostilities in a sustainable end of war.
This is a development history. Consult the updates again.
