Edan Alexander, the 21-year-old American citizen who has been held hostage in Gaza since October 2023, is now in Israeli custody and on his way back to Israeli territory, reports Axios.
The announcement follows yesterday's confirmation from Hamas that it would release Alexander as part of what the group called "intensified efforts to achieve a ceasefire, open border crossings, and allow humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip." Hamas initially gave no timeline for the release.
President Donald Trump, who has been involved in ongoing negotiations to secure the release of Alexander praised the news of his release in a statement issued yesterday. "I am happy to announce that Edan Alexander, an American citizen who has been held hostage since October 2023, is coming home to his family," Trump said.
Trump thanked those involved in the negotiations and called the move “a step taken in good faith toward the United States and the efforts of the mediators—Qatar and Egypt—to put an end to this very brutal war and return ALL living hostages and remains to their loved ones.”
Trump also expressed hope that the release signals the beginning of a resolution to the bloody conflict. “Hopefully this is the first of those final steps necessary to end this brutal conflict. I look very much forward to that day of celebration."
This marks a significant shift in a months-long effort to secure Alexander’s release. In March, Hamas had backed out of a previous agreement to release him and the bodies of four other hostages, introducing new demands deemed “entirely impractical” by US officials. At the time, a joint statement from President Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and the US National Security Council slammed Hamas for presenting a different face in public versus private negotiations.
Hamas has since indicated it is willing to enter new talks aimed at ending the war and working toward a broader prisoner exchange. Gaza Hamas leader Khalil Al-Hayya said the group was ready for “intensive negotiations” toward a deal to end the conflict and to “enable Gaza to be administered by an independent professional authority.”
Alexander was held for 584 days.
This is a breaking news story. Refresh for updates.
The announcement follows yesterday's confirmation from Hamas that it would release Alexander as part of what the group called "intensified efforts to achieve a ceasefire, open border crossings, and allow humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip." Hamas initially gave no timeline for the release.
President Donald Trump, who has been involved in ongoing negotiations to secure the release of Alexander praised the news of his release in a statement issued yesterday. "I am happy to announce that Edan Alexander, an American citizen who has been held hostage since October 2023, is coming home to his family," Trump said.
Trump thanked those involved in the negotiations and called the move “a step taken in good faith toward the United States and the efforts of the mediators—Qatar and Egypt—to put an end to this very brutal war and return ALL living hostages and remains to their loved ones.”
Trump also expressed hope that the release signals the beginning of a resolution to the bloody conflict. “Hopefully this is the first of those final steps necessary to end this brutal conflict. I look very much forward to that day of celebration."
This marks a significant shift in a months-long effort to secure Alexander’s release. In March, Hamas had backed out of a previous agreement to release him and the bodies of four other hostages, introducing new demands deemed “entirely impractical” by US officials. At the time, a joint statement from President Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and the US National Security Council slammed Hamas for presenting a different face in public versus private negotiations.
Hamas has since indicated it is willing to enter new talks aimed at ending the war and working toward a broader prisoner exchange. Gaza Hamas leader Khalil Al-Hayya said the group was ready for “intensive negotiations” toward a deal to end the conflict and to “enable Gaza to be administered by an independent professional authority.”
Alexander was held for 584 days.
This is a breaking news story. Refresh for updates.
