DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Hamas stated Sunday that the final dwelling American hostage in Gaza, Edan Alexander, might be launched as a part of efforts to ascertain a ceasefire, reopen crossings into the Israeli-blockaded territory and resume the supply of assist. Two Hamas officers informed 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 very good 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 underneath the brand new Israeli blockade.
Alexander is an Israeli-American soldier who grew up in New Jersey. He was kidnapped from his base through the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led assault that ignited the warfare in Gaza.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace stated the U.S. knowledgeable it of Hamas’ intent to launch Alexander “with out compensation or situations” and that the step is predicted 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 provide to launch Alexander and the our bodies of 4 different hostages if Israel recommitted to a stalled ceasefire deal. Days later, nevertheless, Israel resumed the war.
Witkoff informed the AP that Hamas’ objective in releasing Alexander was to restart talks on a ceasefire, the discharge of further hostages and a surge of humanitarian assist into Gaza earlier than Israel carries out a threatened complete takeover of the territory.
Khalil al-Hayyah, a Hamas chief in Gaza, stated the group has been in touch with the U.S. administration over the previous few days.
Al-Hayyah stated in a press release Hamas is able to “instantly begin intensive negotiations” to succeed in a closing deal for a long-term truce, which incorporates an finish to the warfare, the change of Palestinian prisoners and hostages in Gaza and the handing over of energy in Gaza to an unbiased 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 informed 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 approved to talk to the media, stated Alexander is predicted 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 predicted 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 obtained assurances from the Trump administration by way of Egyptian and Qatari mediators that Alexander’s launch “will put all recordsdata on the negotiating desk” together with an finish to the warfare.
Alexander’s dad and mom didn’t instantly return requests for remark.
Yuri Gripas/Abaca/Bloomberg through Getty Pictures
Trump and Witkoff have regularly talked about Alexander, now 21, by title previously 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 neglect. They didn’t neglect he’s American, and so they’re engaged on it,” Edan’s mom, Yael Alexander, informed The Related Press earlier this 12 months.
Hamas launched a video of Alexander in November through the Thanksgiving weekend, his mom stated. The video was troublesome to look at as he cried and pleaded for assist, nevertheless it was a aid to see the newest signal that he was alive, she stated.
Fifty-nine hostages are nonetheless in Gaza, round a 3rd of them believed to be alive. Many 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 can free everybody.
Trump, whose administration has voiced full assist 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, based on native well being officers.
Two strikes hit tents within the southern metropolis of Khan Younis, every killing two kids and their dad and mom, based on Nasser Hospital, which obtained the our bodies. One other seven folks have been killed in strikes elsewhere, together with a person and his little one in a Gaza Metropolis neighborhood, based on hospitals and Gaza’s Well being Ministry.
The Israeli navy 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.
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Israel has sealed Gaza off from all imports, together with meals, drugs and emergency shelter, for over 10 weeks in what it says is a strain tactic geared toward forcing Hamas to launch hostages. Israel in March shattered the ceasefire that had facilitated the discharge of greater than 30 hostages.
Assist teams say the humanitarian disaster is worse than at any time within the warfare, with meals working low.
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, based on 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.
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 navy 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 informed them that the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar Assad late final 12 months led to an “alternative” that allowed the navy and the Mossad, Israel’s overseas intelligence company, to assemble further intelligence and find and retrieve the physique, based on 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.
Magdy reported from Cairo. Related Press writers Bassem Mroue in Beirut, Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel, and Zeke Miller in Washington contributed to this report.
