Hamas to Release Israeli-American Hostage Edan Alexander Amid Ceasefire Efforts
Tel Aviv, May 12, 2025 – Hamas has announced the imminent release of Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old Israeli-American soldier and the last known living U.S. citizen held hostage in Gaza, with the handover scheduled for 5:30 p.m. local time (3:30 p.m. UTC) today. The decision, confirmed by Hamas officials and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, follows intense negotiations with the U.S. administration and mediators Qatar and Egypt, aimed at securing a ceasefire and resuming humanitarian aid to Gaza. The release comes as a gesture of goodwill ahead of President Donald Trump’s Middle East tour, which begins Tuesday but does not include a stop in Israel.
Alexander, born in Tel Aviv and raised in Tenafly, New Jersey, was serving in an elite infantry unit near the Gaza border when he was abducted by Hamas militants during the October 7, 2023, attack that killed 1,200 people and saw 251 hostages taken, according to Israeli tallies. Held for 583 days, Alexander appeared in Hamas propaganda videos, including one on April 12, 2025, pleading for his release under apparent duress. His family, led by parents Yael and Adi Alexander, expressed profound relief, calling the news “the greatest gift imaginable” in a statement via the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.
Hamas’ statement, issued by negotiator Khalil al-Hayya, frames the release as part of efforts to achieve a ceasefire, open Gaza’s border crossings, and allow aid into the enclave, which has been under an Israeli blockade for 70 days. The group claims readiness for “intensive negotiations” to end the war, exchange prisoners, and establish an independent Gaza administration. Qatar and Egypt welcomed the move as an “encouraging step” toward resuming ceasefire talks, which collapsed in March 2025 after Israel resumed its offensive, killing over 52,800 Palestinians, per Gaza health authorities.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed the U.S. informed Israel of Hamas’ intent to release Alexander “without compensation or conditions,” describing it as a gesture to the U.S. Israel has agreed to a “safe corridor” for the handover, requiring a temporary halt to military operations and aerial surveillance, but has not committed to a ceasefire or prisoner releases. The Prime Minister’s Office emphasized that negotiations for the remaining 58 hostages—up to 24 believed alive—will occur “under fire,” aligning with Israel’s goal to demilitarize Gaza and free all captives.
The release follows months of diplomatic friction. In March 2025, Hamas offered to free Alexander and the bodies of four dual U.S.-Israeli citizens, but talks stalled over demands for a permanent ceasefire, which Israel rejected. A month later, Hamas claimed it lost contact with Alexander’s captors after Israeli strikes, raising fears for his safety. Recent direct U.S.-Hamas talks in Qatar, bypassing Israel, angered Netanyahu’s government, though both sides deny a rift with the Trump administration.
Trump hailed the development as “monumental news” on Truth Social, crediting mediators and expressing hope it signals progress toward ending the war. U.S. envoy Witkoff, arriving in Tel Aviv today, told CNN the release is a “total goodwill gesture” despite Israel’s plans to expand its Gaza offensive. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum urged Netanyahu and Trump to leverage this moment for a “comprehensive agreement” to free all hostages, warning, “No hostage should be left behind.”
As Alexander’s release nears, global attention remains on Gaza, where 59 hostages remain and humanitarian conditions deteriorate amid ongoing conflict. The war, sparked by Hamas’ 2023 attack, has left Gaza’s 2.3 million residents grappling with famine and displacement, with Israel controlling a third of the territory. Alexander’s return marks a rare diplomatic breakthrough, but the path to a broader resolution remains fraught.
Sources: Reuters, CNN, The Times of Israel, AP News, NBC News