Hamas says Edan Alexander, the final dwelling American hostage in Gaza, might be launched as a part of efforts to ascertain a ceasefire, reopen crossings into the territory and resume the supply of assist.
The Hamas assertion Sunday night time doesn’t say when the discharge will occur. The announcement comes shortly earlier than U.S. President Donald Trump visits the Center East this week. Trump just isn’t planning to go to Israel.
Alexander is an Israeli-American soldier who grew up in the USA. He was kidnapped from his base through the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led assault that ignited the struggle in Gaza.
There was no fast response from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace. Netanyahu’s authorities was angered by U.S. direct talks with Hamas earlier this 12 months.
Khalil al-Hayyah, a Hamas chief in Gaza, mentioned the group has been involved with the U.S. administration over the previous few days.
Al-Hayyah mentioned in a press release Hamas is able to “immediately start intensive negotiations” to succeed in a remaining deal for a long-term truce which incorporates an finish to the struggle, the trade of Palestinian prisoners and hostages in Gaza and the handing over of energy in Gaza to an unbiased physique of technocrats.
Alexander’s mother and father didn’t instantly return requests for remark, and there was no fast response from the workplace of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Trump and his particular envoy Steve Witkoff have regularly talked about Alexander, now 21, by title previously few months. Witkoff is predicted to go to Israel within the coming hours.
“Every time they say Edan’s name, it’s like they didn’t forget. They didn’t forget he’s American, and they’re working on it,” Edan’s mom, Yael Alexander, instructed The Related Press in February.
AP
AP
FILE – From left, Yael and Adi Alexander, mother and father of Eden Alexander, who was kidnapped and dropped at Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023, take heed to Liz Hirsh Naftali, nice aunt of Abigail Extra Edan, as households and victims of the Hamas assaults meet with the Home Overseas Affairs Committee, on the Capitol in Washington, Nov. 29. (AP Picture/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
Hamas launched a video of Alexander in November through the Thanksgiving weekend, his favourite vacation, his mom mentioned. The video was tough to look at as he cried and pleaded for assist, nevertheless it was a reduction to see the newest signal that he was alive, she mentioned.
A local of Tenafly, New Jersey, the place his mother and father and two youthful siblings nonetheless dwell, Edan Alexander moved to Israel in 2022 after highschool and enlisted within the army.
Fifty-nine hostages are nonetheless inside Gaza, round a 3rd of them believed to be alive, after a lot of the relaxation have been launched in ceasefire agreements or different offers.
Bombardment continues
Israeli strikes in a single day and into Sunday killed 15 folks in the Gaza Strip, principally girls and youngsters, based on native well being officers.
Two of the strikes hit tents within the southern metropolis of Khan Younis, every killing two kids and their mother and father, 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 baby in a Gaza Metropolis neighborhood, based on hospitals and Gaza’s Well being Ministry.
The Israeli army says it solely targets militants and tries to keep away from harming civilians. It blames Hamas for civilian deaths within the 19-month-old struggle as a result of the militants are embedded in densely populated areas. There was no fast Israeli touch upon the most recent strikes.
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 stress tactic geared toward forcing Hamas to launch hostages. Israel resumed its offensive in March, shattering a ceasefire that had facilitated the discharge of greater than 30 hostages.
The U.N. and assist teams say meals and different provides are operating low and starvation is widespread.
Kids carrying empty bottles raced after a water tanker in a devastated space of northern Gaza on Sunday. Residents of the built-up Shati refugee camp mentioned the water was introduced by a charity from elsewhere in Gaza. With out it, they depend on wells which can be salty and infrequently polluted.
“I am forced to drink salty water, I have no choice,” mentioned Mahmoud Radwan. “This causes intestinal disease, and there’s no medicine to treat it.”
COGAT, the Israeli army physique accountable for Palestinian civilian affairs, says sufficient assist entered throughout a two-month ceasefire this 12 months and that two of the three fundamental water strains from Israel are nonetheless functioning. Assist teams say the humanitarian disaster is worse than at any time within the 19-month struggle.
Current Tenafly Excessive Faculty graduate, Edan Alexander, was serving within the Israeli army, when Hamas attacked Israel. Now, he’s lacking amongst many different Individuals. Adam Harding stories.
Trump to go to area
Trump, whose administration has voiced full assist for Israel’s actions, is ready to go to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates this week in a regional tour that won’t embrace Israel.
The struggle started when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 folks, principally civilians, and taking 251 hostage. Fifty-nine hostages are nonetheless inside Gaza, round a 3rd of them believed to be alive, after a lot of the relaxation have been launched in ceasefire agreements or different offers.
Israel’s offensive has killed over 52,800 Palestinians, principally 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 of round 2 million.
