An American-Israeli soldier held hostage for more than 19 months in the Gaza Strip was released Monday, Hamas said, in a goodwill gesture toward the Trump administration that could lay the groundwork for a new ceasefire with Israel. There was no immediate confirmation from Israel, reports the AP. Edan Alexander was taken from his military base in southern Israel during Hamas' cross-border attack on Oct. 7, 2023, which set off the war in Gaza. His release is the first since Israel broke an eight-week ceasefire with Hamas in March with strikes on Gaza.
Israel says 59 hostages including Alexander remain in captivity, with about 24 of them said to be alive. Television footage showed Alexander's mother, Yael Alexander, arriving at the Reim military base in southern Israel, where her son was expected to be taken first. Alexander's grandmother, Varda Ben Baruch, said she had barely been able to sleep and had baked Edan's favorite foods, some of which she sent to the military base.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Monday with the US special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff and the US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, and discussed efforts to release the remaining hostages, his office said. "To this end, Prime Minister Netanyahu directed that a negotiations team leave for Doha tomorrow," the prime minister's office said, adding that Netanyahu had "made it clear that the negotiations would only take place under fire."
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The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a group representing relatives of hostages, welcomed the news that an Israeli delegation was headed to Doha for talks. "While Edan Alexander's release gives us hope, all 58 of our loved ones must come home. Time is running out. These negotiations must bring everyone back," the group said. "Trump's plan offers a real path to freeing all hostages immediately. Every passing day puts their lives at greater risk." (More Israel-Hamas war stories.)
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