Hamas Agrees To Release Last Living U.S. Hostage In Gaza Truce Efforts

Hamas announced on Sunday that the final remaining American hostage in Gaza, Edan Alexander, will be released in an effort to establish a ceasefire, open crossings into the Israeli-blockaded territory, and resume aid deliveries. Two Hamas officials informed The Associated Press that the release is expected within the next 48 hours.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, confirmed late Sunday that Hamas had agreed to release Alexander as a goodwill gesture towards Trump. This announcement of the first hostage release since a ceasefire was broken in March comes just before Trump’s upcoming visit to the Middle East this week. It underscores Israel’s willingness to push forward ceasefire negotiations amid growing desperation among the families of hostages and the over 2 million people in Gaza affected by the new Israeli blockade.

Alexander, an Israeli-American soldier from New Jersey, was abducted during a Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, which triggered the war in Gaza.

The release of Alexander, the last surviving U.S. hostage, was agreed upon by Hamas on May 11 in exchange for a ceasefire and for Israel to reopen aid corridors that have been blocked for two months, preventing humanitarian assistance from reaching Palestinian families.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office was informed by the U.S. that Hamas would release Alexander “without compensation or conditions,” and this step is expected to lead to negotiations for a truce. The U.S. had engaged in direct talks with Hamas earlier this year, which resulted in a Hamas offer to release Alexander and four other hostages if Israel agreed to a stalled ceasefire deal. However, Israel resumed the war shortly after.

Hamas aims to restart talks on a ceasefire, the release of more hostages, and increased humanitarian aid into Gaza through Alexander’s release. Talks between Hamas and the U.S. began five days ago, with the release of Alexander seen as a goodwill gesture.

The Egyptian official involved in ceasefire negotiations mentioned that Hamas received assurances from the Trump administration that Alexander’s release would lead to discussions on various issues, including putting an end to the war.

Alexander’s parents have not yet commented on his expected release.

The conflict in Gaza continues, with Israeli strikes overnight and into Sunday resulting in the deaths of 15 people, mostly women and children, according to local health officials. The Israeli military maintains that it targets militants and tries to avoid civilian casualties, attributing civilian deaths to Hamas embedding militants in densely populated areas.