Trump announces Hamas has agreed to release the last living US-Israeli hostage in Gaza

Edan Alexander, an Israeli-American soldier was abducted from his base during the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel that ignited the war in Gaza.

Hamas said Sunday that the last living American hostage in Gaza, Edan Alexander, will be released as part of efforts to establish a ceasefire, reopen crossings into the Israeli-blockaded territory and resume the delivery of aid. US President Donald Trump confirmed late Sunday in a tweet that Hamas had agreed to release Alexander in what he called "a step taken in good faith towards the United States". The announcement of the first hostage release since Israel shattered a ceasefire in March comes shortly before Trump visits the Middle East this week and suggests the willingness of the US, Israel’s closest ally, to inject momentum into ceasefire talks for the 19-month war.Trump, whose administration has voiced full support for Israel’s actions, is set to visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates this week in a regional tour.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed the development, saying the US informed it of Hamas’ intent to release Alexander “without compensation or conditions” and that the step is expected to lead to negotiations on a truce. Earlier this year, the Netanyahu government was angered by Washington's direct talks with Hamas.Alexander, the last living US hostage with HamasAlexander, an Israeli-American soldier who grew up in New Jersey, is expected back in the US within the next 48 hours, according to AP quoting a Hamas official. He was abducted from his base during the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel that ignited the war in Gaza.During Thanksgiving in November, Hamas released a video of Alexander, according to his mother, Yael Alexander.The video was difficult to watch as he cried and pleaded for help, but it was a relief to see the latest sign that he was alive, she said.Trump and his special envoy Steve Witkoff have frequently mentioned Alexander, now 21, by name in the past few months as US-led talks began amid desperation among hostages’ families and Gaza’s over 2 million people under the new Israeli blockade, “Every time they say Edan’s name, it’s like they didn’t forget. They didn’t forget he’s American, and they’re working on it,” his mother told The Associated Press earlier this year.Hamas says ready for negotiationsMeanwhile, Khalil al-Hayyah, a Hamas leader in Gaza, said the group has been in contact with the US administration over the past few days and was ready for negotiations.Al-Hayyah said in a statement that Hamas is ready to “immediately start intensive negotiations” to reach a final deal for a long-term truce, which includes an end to the war, the exchange of Palestinian prisoners and hostages in Gaza and the handing over of power in Gaza to an independent body of technocrats.According to senior officials from Hamas and Egypt, indirect talks between Hamas and the US began last week. The talks aim at securing the release of hostages being held by Hamas and an end to the war in Gaza.Fifty-nine hostages are still in Gaza, around a third of them believed to be alive. Most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. The Hostages Families Forum, the grassroots forum representing most hostage families, said Alexander’s release “must mark the beginning of a comprehensive agreement” that will free everyone.