Hamas Frees Edan Alexander, American Hostage Held in Gaza, in Deal With U.S.

Hamas launched Edan Alexander, the final residing American hostage it held in Gaza, on Monday night, after mediators brokered a deal between the group and the US that largely circumvented the Israeli authorities.

Mr. Alexander’s launch got here on the eve of a go to by President Trump to the Center East, and was portrayed by Hamas officers as an try to safe U.S. assist for a wider deal to finish the struggle.

Mr. Alexander, 21, was amongst roughly 250 folks seized and brought to Gaza throughout the Hamas-led assault on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, that ignited the struggle in Gaza. A twin Israeli American nationwide serving within the Israeli Military, he was captured from a navy put up that morning. He grew up in New Jersey and moved to Israel after highschool to affix the navy.

In photos and video that the Israeli authorities shared on Monday following his launch, Mr. Alexander, trying pale however smiling, enthusiastically greeted his household with hugs and exclamations of pleasure. In response to reviews in Israeli information media, the launched captive stated that he had been held in a cage in a Hamas underground tunnel along with his arms and toes certain and ate little.

In contrast to most different hostages, Mr. Alexander was launched with no formally introduced cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, highlighting the failure of efforts to safe a broader truce between the 2 sides. Hamas nonetheless holds not less than 20 residing hostages — together with some 40 useless our bodies, together with these of a number of People — however it’s reluctant to launch extra of them except Israel agrees to carry negotiations to finish the struggle. Israel needs the fitting to proceed the struggle after any future truce, resulting in an deadlock within the talks.