Hamas mentioned Sunday it can launch the final residing American hostage from its Oct. 7, 2023, assaults on Israel to assist safe a truce, presumably throughout the subsequent 48 hours, which U.S. officers confirmed.
Two officers of the U.S.-designated terrorist group that killed about 1,200 folks and took greater than 250 others hostage after overrunning the Israel-Gaza border advised the Related Press that Alexander, a New Jersey native who turned 21 in December, can be launched with an eye fixed towards establishing a ceasefire, loosening Israel’s tight maintain on their shared border, and resuming the stream of humanitarian help.
Afterward Sunday, U.S. particular envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed to the Related Press that Alexander’s launch was imminent. Witkoff is slated to go to Israel on Monday, and President Trump is poised to go to the Center East this week, although not Israel.
A video (proper) displaying American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander was launched by Hamas in December.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace mentioned releasing Alexander “without compensation or conditions,” as Hamas has provided, may certainly result in truce negotiations, acknowledging that U.S. officers had knowledgeable his authorities of Hamas’s intentions. Israel’s leaders had been angered earlier this 12 months when U.S. officers spoke instantly with Hamas. Israel resumed its strikes on the territory once more in March, scuttling a ceasefire that had been in impact since January.
Alexander graduated from Tenafly Excessive College in 2022 and moved to Israel to serve in its military. He was kidnapped at age 19 from his base throughout the Oct. 7 assaults.
Israel declared struggle instantly after the Oct. 7 assaults and has since then bombarded the 25-mile-long, 3-to-7-mile-wide Gaza Strip, displacing about 90% of its 2 million residents and killing greater than 52,800, largely ladies and kids, based on the Gaza Well being Ministry, which is run by Hamas.
Alexander is one in all 21 hostages being held in Gaza who’re nonetheless believed to be alive. Hamas can be believed to be holding the our bodies of about 38 useless hostages. The remainder have both been launched throughout ceasefire agreements and different offers, or rescued.
Initially Revealed: Could 11, 2025 at 6:48 PM EDT
