Edan Alexander, the last American citizen kidnapped by Hamas and hostage terrorists of heroes for more than 19 19 months, will be released from captivity, Hamas said in a statement on Sunday.
Hamas’s statement said the release was part of the ongoing mediation efforts to establish a high fire in the Gaza Strip, Ropen crossings in the Palestinian territory with Israeli block and resume the delivery of help. He did not say when the release would occur, but two Hamas officials defeated Associated Press who expected it to take place within 48 hours.
The Office of the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said he was aware of the Hamas Plan to free Alexander, “as a gesture for Americans,” in a statement to CBS News on Sunday.
“The United States has informed Israel that the movement is expected to lead to negotiations for the release of hostages under the original Witkoff scheme, which Israel has already accepted,” said the office, reference to terms negotiated by Steve.
“Israel is preparation for the possibility that this movement materializes,” the statement continued. “According to Israeli politics, negotiations will take place under fire with the commitment to achieve all war objectives.”
Witkoff confirmed Sunday night in a message to CBS News that Hamas had agreed to free Alexander.
Alexander is A 20-year-old Israeli-American National who grew up in New Jersey and was a soldier in the Israeli army when Hamas launched his terrorist attack on October 7, 2023. He was kidnapped from a military base where he was parked near the border of Gaza, one of the 251 tasks of people hostage that day from the south of Israel, while 1,200 more were killed.
President Trump said in a publication about Truth Social on Sunday that he was “grateful to all those intrigued for making this monumental news.”
“This was a step in good faith to the United States and the efforts of the Mediats, Qatar and Egypt, to end this brutal war and return to all living hostages and remain to their loved ones,” hey. “Hopefully this is the first of those final steps necessary to end this brutal conflict. I look a lot at that day of celebration!”
In a statement distributed by the Israeli hostages and the Missing Families forum, the Alexander family said it had recovered on Sunday, Mother’s Day, “the greatest imaginable gift: news that our beautiful son Edan returns home after 583 Trump, Steve Witkoff and the administration of the United States for his incomparable work to make this happen.
“We urge the Israeli government and the negotiation teams: please do not stop. We hope that our child’s release will begin negotiations for the 58 hostages of Remego, ending this nightmare for them and their families.
The Hostage Families forum had previously said that it was “hugging and supporting the Alexander family”, and that Edan’s release “must mark the beginning of a comprehensive agreement that will ensure the freedom of all the removal hostages.”
The group, established by the families of the kidnapped, urged Mr. Trump and Netanyahu to bring everyone back.
“You have given the families of all the hostages they expect,” the statement said. “Please complete your mission and bring them home to everyone.”
Maya Allerzzo / AP 
While the fight intensified in the military base on the morning of October 7, Alexander sent a message to his mother, told him that he had caught in his helmet for surrounding explosions, but found a protected area. His family lost contact with him after 7 am, Associated Press reported.
“He is just me although things were already becoming dangerous around him. That was the last time I heard my son’s voice. I can’t describe the pain of not knowing where your son is or how he hears,” said Alexander’s mother, Yael Alexander. CBS New York In October.
She and her father, Adi Alexander, with former President Joe Biden and President Trump at the end of last year to press for an agreement that would release all hostages that are still held in Gaza. Trump said earlier this month that Less than two hostage boxes It was believed that they were alive. Alexander should be among them.
As the attempts to reach a highly the permanent fire between Israel and Hamas have resorted, the militants have periodically released the hostages in exchange for heroes of Palestinian prisoners in Israel. Around 100 hostages were returned to Israel during a pause of the letter in the fighting in November 2023, almost a few months after the October 7 attack they led Israel to declare the war against Hamas and begin to bomb Gaza.
Some of the people released in that first exchange said they had seen Alexander in captivity. His grandmother, Varda Ben Baruch, told Associated Press at that time that the hostages said his grandson kept calm and encouraged them that everyone would be released soon.
Less than 50 living people have been released from Hamas’s captivity since the high temporary fire in November 2023.
The militants published 30 of the people between January and March of this year, as part of another exchange agreement with Israel that Tok Place in several stages. Althehemy The family, the members of those who are in captive in progress have repeatedly beg He ended his fire with Hamas in March and renewed his offensive In Gaza, where Palestinian officials said the death toll has increased to almost 53,000.
Haley Ott contributed to this report.
