Hamas said Sunday it will release the last living American hostage from its Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel to help secure a truce, possibly within the next 48 hours, which U.S. officials confirmed.
Two officials of the U.S.-designated terrorist group that killed about 1,200 people and took more than 250 others hostage after overrunning the Israel-Gaza border told the Associated Press that Alexander, a New Jersey native who turned 21 in December, would be released with an eye toward establishing a ceasefire, loosening Israel’s tight hold on their shared border, and resuming the flow of humanitarian aid.
Later on Sunday, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed to the Associated Press that Alexander’s release was imminent. Witkoff is slated to visit Israel on Monday, and President Trump is poised to visit the Middle East this week, though not Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said releasing Alexander “without compensation or conditions,” as Hamas has offered, could indeed lead to truce negotiations, acknowledging that U.S. officials had informed his government of Hamas’s intentions. Israel’s leaders had been angered earlier this year when U.S. officials spoke directly with Hamas. Israel resumed its strikes on the territory again in March, scuttling a ceasefire that had been in effect since January.
Alexander graduated from Tenafly High School in 2022 and moved to Israel to serve in its army. He was abducted at age 19 from his base during the Oct. 7 attacks.
Israel declared war immediately after the Oct. 7 attacks and has since then bombarded the 25-mile-long, 3-to-7-mile-wide Gaza Strip, displacing about 90% of its 2 million residents and killing more than 52,800, mostly women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which is run by Hamas.
Alexander is one of 21 hostages being held in Gaza who are still believed to be alive. Hamas is also believed to be holding the bodies of about 38 dead hostages. The rest have either been released during ceasefire agreements and other deals, or rescued.
With News Wire Services
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