DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Hamas stated Sunday that the final dwelling American hostage in Gaza, Edan Alexander, will probably be launched as a part of efforts to determine a ceasefire, reopen crossings into the Israeli-blockaded territory and resume the supply of help. Two Hamas officers instructed The Related Press they count on the discharge within the subsequent 48 hours.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed late Sunday in a message to AP that Hamas had agreed to launch Alexander as a great will gesture towards Trump.
The announcement of the primary hostage launch since Israel shattered a ceasefire in March comes shortly earlier than Trump visits the Center East this week. It highlighted the willingness of Israel’s closest ally to inject momentum into ceasefire talks for the 19-month warfare as desperation grows amongst hostages’ households and Gaza’s over 2 million folks below the brand new Israeli blockade.
Varda Ben Baruch holds an image of her grandson Edan Alexander, who’s held hostage in Gaza, gathers with different households to name out on loudspeakers in hopes that their family members will hear them, close to the Gaza border in Kibbutz Nir Oz, southern Israel, April 20, 2025. (AP Picture/Ohad Zwigenberg, File)
“This was a step taken in good religion in the direction of the US and the efforts of the mediators — Qatar and Egypt — to place an finish to this very brutal warfare and return ALL dwelling hostages and stays to their family members,” Trump stated on his social media platform Reality Social on Sunday night. “Hopefully that is the primary of these closing steps needed to finish this brutal battle. I look very a lot ahead to that day of celebration!”
Alexander is an Israeli-American soldier who grew up in New Jersey. He was kidnapped from his base throughout the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led assault that ignited the warfare in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace stated the U.S. knowledgeable it of Hamas’ intent to launch Alexander “with out compensation or circumstances” and that the step is anticipated to result in negotiations on a truce. Netanyahu’s authorities was angered by U.S. direct talks with Hamas earlier this 12 months — which led to a Hamas supply to launch Alexander and the our bodies of 4 different hostages if Israel recommitted to a stalled ceasefire deal. Days later, nonetheless, Israel resumed the war.
Witkoff instructed the AP that Hamas’ objective in releasing Alexander was to restart talks on a ceasefire, the discharge of extra hostages and a surge of humanitarian help into Gaza earlier than Israel carries out a threatened whole takeover of the territory.
Khalil al-Hayyah, a Hamas chief in Gaza, stated the group has been involved with the U.S. administration over the previous few days.
Al-Hayyah stated in an announcement Hamas is able to “instantly begin intensive negotiations” to achieve a closing deal for a long-term truce, which incorporates an finish to the warfare, the trade of Palestinian prisoners and hostages in Gaza and the handing over of energy in Gaza to an impartial physique of technocrats.
Oblique talks between Hamas and the U.S. started 5 days in the past, an Egyptian official and a senior Hamas official instructed the AP, with each describing the discharge of Alexander as a gesture of goodwill.
The senior Hamas official, talking on situation of anonymity as a result of he was not licensed to talk to the media, stated Alexander is anticipated to be launched on Monday. Hamas was suggested to “give a present to President Trump and in return he’ll give again a greater one,” the official stated.
One other Hamas official, talking on situation of anonymity to debate negotiations, stated Alexander’s launch is anticipated within the subsequent 48 hours, including that it requires Israel to pause preventing for a few hours.
The Egyptian official concerned in ceasefire negotiations, talking on situation of anonymity to debate talks, stated Hamas acquired assurances from the Trump administration via Egyptian and Qatari mediators that Alexander’s launch “will put all information on the negotiating desk” together with an finish to the warfare.
Alexander’s mother and father didn’t instantly return requests for remark.
Trump and Witkoff have ceaselessly talked about Alexander, now 21, by title up to now few months. Witkoff was touring to the area on Monday forward of Alexander’s anticipated launch.
“Each time they are saying Edan’s title, it’s like they didn’t overlook. They didn’t overlook he’s American, they usually’re engaged on it,” Edan’s mom, Yael Alexander, instructed The Related Press earlier this 12 months.
Hamas launched a video of Alexander in November throughout the Thanksgiving weekend, his mom stated. The video was troublesome to look at as he cried and pleaded for assist, however it was a reduction to see the most recent signal that he was alive, she stated.
The warfare started when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing some 1,200 folks, largely civilians, and taking 251 hostage.
Israel’s offensive has killed over 52,800 Palestinians, largely girls and youngsters, in line with Gaza’s Well being Ministry, which doesn’t say how most of the useless have been combatants or civilians. The offensive has destroyed huge areas of the territory and displaced some 90% of its inhabitants.
Fifty-nine hostages are nonetheless in Gaza, round a 3rd of them believed to be alive. A lot of the relaxation have been launched in ceasefire agreements or different offers. The Hostages Households Discussion board, the grassroots discussion board representing most hostage households, stated Alexander’s launch “should mark the start of a complete settlement” that may free everybody.
Trump, whose administration has voiced full help for Israel’s actions, is set to visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates this week in a regional tour.
Bombardment continues
Israeli strikes in a single day and into Sunday killed 15 folks in Gaza, largely girls and youngsters, in line with native well being officers.
Two strikes hit tents within the southern metropolis of Khan Younis, every killing two kids and their mother and father, in line with Nasser Hospital, which acquired the our bodies. One other seven folks have been killed in strikes elsewhere, together with a person and his baby in a Gaza Metropolis neighborhood, in line with hospitals and Gaza’s Well being Ministry.
The Israeli army says it solely targets militants and tries to keep away from harming civilians. It blames Hamas for civilian deaths within the 19-month-old warfare as a result of the militants are embedded in densely populated areas.
Israel has sealed Gaza off from all imports, together with meals, medication and emergency shelter, for over 10 weeks in what it says is a strain tactic aimed toward forcing Hamas to launch hostages. Israel in March shattered the ceasefire that had facilitated the discharge of greater than 30 hostages.
Help teams say the humanitarian disaster is worse than at any time within the warfare, with meals working low.
Israel recovers stays of soldier killed in Lebanon in 1982
In a separate growth, Israel stated it retrieved the stays of a soldier killed in a 1982 battle in southern Lebanon after he had been categorized as lacking for greater than 4 many years.
The Israeli army stated Sgt. 1st Class Tzvi Feldman’s stays have been recovered from deep inside Syria, with out offering additional particulars.
Netanyahu visited Feldman’s surviving siblings and instructed them that the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar Assad late final 12 months led to an “alternative” that allowed the army and the Mossad, Israel’s international intelligence company, to collect extra intelligence and find and retrieve the physique, in line with video launched by his workplace.
Feldman went lacking, together with 5 different Israeli troopers, in a battle with Syrian forces within the Lebanese city of Sultan Yaaqoub.
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Magdy reported from Cairo and Miller from Washington. Related Press writers Bassem Mroue in Beirut, Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel, and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report.
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Comply with AP’s warfare protection at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
