Hamas said Sunday it plans to release an Israeli-American hostage held captive in Gaza following direct talks with the Trump administration, marking a potential breakthrough in efforts to reach a ceasefire in the war-torn enclave.
The Palestinian terror group announced that Edan Alexander, an IDF soldier who also holds U.S. citizenship, will be freed as part of broader steps aimed at halting the fighting in Gaza. Hamas said the move is tied to efforts to open border crossings and allow in humanitarian aid.
“The movement affirms its readiness to immediately begin intensive negotiations and invest serious efforts to reach a final agreement to end the war, a mutual prisoner exchange, and the governance of Gaza by an independent and professional body,” Hamas said in a statement. The group said any arrangement would be designed to ensure lasting calm and reconstruction, as well as the lifting of the Israeli blockade on Gaza.
Hamas also thanked mediators from Qatar, Egypt and Turkey for what it described as “tireless efforts” over recent weeks.
Steve Witkoff, U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy to the Middle East, informed Alexander’s parents of the development. His mother is traveling to Israel ahead of the anticipated release. According to Arabic-language daily Asharq Al-Awsat, which is published in London, Witkoff’s aide met in Doha over the weekend with senior Hamas officials, including Khalil al-Hayya.
A senior Palestinian official told Reuters earlier Sunday that Hamas has been engaged in talks with the Trump administration about a potential cease-fire and the delivery of aid to Gaza. A Hamas official later told Al Jazeera the discussions had been ongoing for several days.
Israel was not directly involved in the negotiations but received intelligence indicating Hamas was preparing to release Alexander. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told a closed session of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that Alexander could be freed in the coming days as a gesture to Trump. He also referenced ongoing talks over what he called “Part A of the Witkoff framework.”
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
The announcement sparked criticism from families of other hostages. Einav Zangauker, the mother of Matan Zangauker—another Israeli hostage believed to be held with Alexander—accused Netanyahu of abandoning her son.
“Matan, my son, a sick civilian kidnapped from his bed, is being held with Edan Alexander. They are in the same dark tunnel, alone,” she said. “If Matan is left there, Netanyahu is deciding to murder my child. Instead of freeing all the hostages, he is becoming my personal Angel of Death.”
She vowed to continue fighting for her son’s release. “He failed to bring you back. I won’t let you rot there. I will fight for you every second. I will hold the prime minister accountable for your suffering and for what he’s doing to us, the families.”