Hamas to release U.S.-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander

by · UPI

May 11 (UPI) -- Hamas announced Sunday that it will release the man believed to be the last living U.S. citizen held hostage in Gaza.

Edan Alexander, 21, a dual citizen of Israel and the United States, has been at the center of recent negotiations and confusion about his whereabouts and ultimate release by Hamas, which said it had lost contact with the specific group holding him captive.

Hamas originally agreed to release Alexander and the bodies of four other hostages in March but changed course after saying it lost contact with his captors and blamed Israeli airstrikes for attacking the area where Alexander was reportedly being held.

On Sunday, Hamas said it will release Alexander as part of negotiations toward a cease-fire in the war in Gaza.

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"The movement affirms its readiness to immediately start intensive negotiations, and make serious efforts to reach a final agreement to stop the war, exchange prisoners in an agreed manner and manage the Gaza Strip by an independent professional body," Khalil Al-Hayya said in a statement.

U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed the development Sunday night on his Truth Social media platform. He said Alexander was "coming home to his family."

"This was a step taken in good faith towards the United States and the efforts of mediators -- Qatar and Egypt -- to put an end to this very brutal war and return ALL living hostages and remains to their loved ones," the American president said in the post.

"Hopefully this is the first of those final steps necessary to end this brutal conflict."

In light of Hamas' Sunday announcement, special U.S. envoy to the Middle East, Steven Witkoff, told NBC News on Sunday that he will travel to Israel to secure Alexander's release.

"We are picking him up probably tomorrow," Witkoff said. "There was a long negotiation with lots of people to thank. The family is ecstatic."

The Hostage Family Forum released a statement confirming that it had been informed about Alexander's potential release. The group said it is "in ongoing contact with the U.S. administration" regarding Alexander's release.

Alexander, serving in the Israel Defense Forces, was among the 251 people captured and taken hostage by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, in the latest spasm of violence during a decades-old war between Israel and Hamas that erupted and resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians.

Fifty-nine hostages are still believed to remain in Hamas.