Hamas agreed on Friday to release Edan Alexander, the last living American prisoner of war in the Gaza Strip.
According to a transaction provided by the Mediator, Alexander, a 21-year-old Israeli-American, will be released along with the bodies of four other hostages. As of Friday, Alexander had been taken prisoner for 525 days, the Hostages and Missing Family Forum said.
It is unclear when the relocation will occur, but the ongoing speech in Qatar will allow the next phase of the Israel Hama ceasefire to be established. The first phase ended on March 1st. The body to be released has been reported to be hostages of dual citizenship.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Friday it will convene a ministerial team on Saturday to receive detailed reports from negotiators and decide on the next step in the release of hostages.
Meet Edan Alexander, the last living American hostage of Hamas prisoners
Born in Tel Aviv and raised in New Jersey, Edan Alexander is now hostage by Hamas in Gaza. (Hostage Family Forum)
“President Trump has made it clear that Hamas will release the hostages soon or pay a severe price,” the office of Middle Eastern envoy Steve Witkoff and the National Security Council said in a joint statement.
“On Wednesday evening in Doha, Middle Eastern envoy Steve Witkov and Senior Director of the Middle East National Security Council, Eric Tragar, presented the proposal for a 'bridge' to extend the ceasefire with Ramadan and Passover, and to negotiate the framework for a permanent ceasefire.
“Under the proposal of a 'bridge', Hamas releases the living hostages in exchange for prisoners according to the previous formula. The Phase One ceasefire will be extended to allow for the reopening of critical humanitarian aid. “The United States will then work towards a durable solution to this manageable dispute during an extended suspension.” “Through our partners in Qatar and Egypt, Hamas was told in uncertain terms that this 'bridge' would need to be implemented soon.
“Unfortunately, Hamas has chosen to respond by publicly asserting flexibility while personally making completely impractical requests without a permanent ceasefire,” the statement concluded. “Hamas has a very bad bet that time is on its side. It's not.”
“Israel has accepted Witkov's proposal, but Hamas has remained opposed and continues to adopt manipulation and psychological warfare at the same time,” Netanayhu said on Friday.
Yael Alexander, the mother of Edan Alexander's hostage, speaks during a “run” rally in Central Park, 100 days after Hamas attack by Hamas on January 14, 2024 in New York City on October 7th. (Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images)
Senior Hamas official Basem Naim told Fox News on Friday: “A delegation from Hamas movement leaders responded responsibly and positively following a suggestion from the mediator yesterday to resume negotiations.
“The movement submitted a response early this morning and agreed to a release… Edan Alexander, who holds US citizenship, and four other sites have double citizenship,” Naim added. “We reaffirm our full preparation to engage in negotiations, reach a comprehensive agreement on the second stage issue, and call for an obligation to fully implement that commitment in the profession.”
According to the American Jewish Commission (AJC), he spent most of his life in New Jersey, but was born in Israel just months before his parents moved to the United States.
After Trump's threat, Hamas refuses to release more hostages without a phase 2 ceasefire deal
Donald Trump presents a photo of Edan Alexander by his mother, Yael Alexander, in New York City, on October 7, 2024. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
After graduating from high school, Alexander decided not to enroll in college, but to join the Israeli Defense Force (IDF).
On October 7th, the IDF Golani brigade Alexander served in the infantry Golani brigade, but was patrolling near Gaza when Hamas began attacking in Israel. The attack killed 1,200 Israelis and 251 hostages were filmed, including Alexander.
Edan's mother, Yael Alexander, spoke about the day she was held hostage in a recent interview with AJC's People of the Pod. Yael was in Israel in early October 2023, looking to visit his family and meet Edan. On the morning of October 7th, she spoke to Edan. Edan said he was watching “awful things,” but he assured him he was safe. He was then taken hostage.
On November 30th, 2024, more than a year after Alexander was captured, Hamas released a video of him speaking in Hebrew and Arabic. Alexander, like the other hostages, was forced to create a propaganda video, delivered a message about Netanyahu and subsequent presidential elections, Donald Trump.
Donald Trump can be seen posing in New York City on October 7th, 2024 in a photo of Edan Alexander. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
The Hostages and Missing Family Forum said Friday that it “is sincerely welcomes the return of all hostages, whether they return home for rehabilitation or burial.”
“To ensure the release of 'all hostages', the return of any number of hostages must be the only start of an immediate and comprehensive deal,” he added. “Just as President Trump has assured us of our families and the world, and as he has stated again and again, the return of all hostages is a top priority for his administration. His commitment to bringing our loved ones home has given us hope in these darkest times.
Click here to get the Fox News app
“As of today, there are 59 hostages remaining,” the group said. “We pray every day for a transaction that will soon be home.”
Yael Rotem-Kuriel, Trey Yingst, Rachel Wolf and Stephen Sorace of Fox News contributed to this report.
