Hamas has announced plans to release Edan Alexander, who is thought to be the last American currently held hostage by terrorist organizations, based on various reports.
Khalil al-Hayyah, a senior negotiator for Hamas, stated that the group is prepared to enter into “intensive negotiations soon” to strive for a final agreement. According to CNN, he mentioned that Hamas is ready to “immediately start intensive negotiations, halt the conflict, exchange prisoners as agreed, and earnestly work towards a final understanding for managing an independent professional organization.”
Reports suggest that the release of Alexander is intended as part of efforts to establish a ceasefire, coinciding with the opening of access points to Gaza.
Following this announcement, Hamas confirmed that the access points to Gaza would be opened and that Alexander would be released as a part of the ceasefire phase, occurring after a more than two-month Israeli lockdown.
This declaration from Hamas comes as President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit the Middle East in the near future, as noted by the Associated Press.
Edan Alexander was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, and raised in Tenafly, New Jersey. After finishing high school, he joined the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), according to Haaretz News.
Edan’s mother, Yael, recounted that he was stationed at the Gaza border during the attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. She stated that she spoke with him that morning, which turned out to be the last communication she had with him:
On the eve of Simchat Torah, they had a video call. “He looked cute and handsome, playing with his hair while telling me that holiday meals were being brought to them at the base and that he would get some rest after his early morning shift,” Yael recalled.
She joked about bringing him a traditional slow-cooked meal for the Sabbath, to which he laughed but said it was too dangerous for her to visit. After they hung up, a siren alerted them to danger, prompting her father to wake her up and head to the stairwell for safety. She quickly messaged Edan, who reassured her that he was fine. However, after a second siren, he didn’t respond, though he called shortly after.
In March, Simon Kent from Breitbart News reported that Hamas intended to release Alexander, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office expressed skepticism regarding Hamas’ offer, accusing the organization of attempting to manipulate the ongoing situation in Qatar.
