Hamas said that it would release an American-Israeli captive detained in Gaza, because the group confirmed that it was engaged in direct talks with the United States to obtain a cease-fire in the enclave ravaged by the war and fear aid again to a suffering Palestinian population.
The Palestinian group published a statement on Sunday: “The Israeli soldier Edan Alexander, a double American national, will be released as part of the measures taken to a cease-fire, will reopen the level passages and provide help and relief to our people in the Gaza Strip”.
Israel has blocked all the help in Gaza, including food, medication and fuel for 70 days.
Hamas’ declaration did not indicate when Alexander, 21, would be released, but we think that within 48 hours.
The Israeli media reported that American envoy Steve Witkoff would be in Israel on Monday as part of the agreement.
The announcement comes shortly before the visit of American president Donald Trump in the Middle East this week – which does not include a trip to Israel. Trump and Witkoff have frequently mentioned Alexandre by name in recent months.
Witkoff later confirmed that Hamas had agreed to release Alexandre in the hope of restarting the cease-fire talks.
Alexander, who grew up in the United States, was withdrawn from his military base during the attack led by October 7, 2023.
On Sunday, in its declaration, Hamas said that it was willing to “immediately start intensive negotiations” which could lead to an agreement to end the war and see Gaza under a technocratic and independent administration.
“This will ensure calm and stability for many years, as well as reconstruction and the end of the blockade,” said the group.
Qatar and Egypt, the two main mediators, praised the announcement of Hamas, claiming that they considered the group’s decision as a gesture of good will and an encouraging step towards the return of the parties to the cease-fire negotiations.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that the United States told Israel that the Liberation of Alexander by Hamas would cause negotiations for the release of more captives. The press release added that Israel’s policy has not changed: negotiations will be carried out under fire with a continuous commitment to achieve all war objectives.
‘Lots of questions’
Tel Aviv Tribune’s Hamdah Salhut, Reporting from Amman, Jordan, Said: “It’s unclear exactly title kind of reaction the israeli government officials had with these direct talks between hassas and the united stats, but last time they were quite angry and that the israelis the israelis Weren’t Involved and Had No Knowledge of Those Talks and the Americans Hit Back by Saying They Didn’t Need Anyone’s Permission to Negotiate With Any of the Actors Involved Because They Were American Captives Held in Gaza ».
“There are a lot of questions from a lot of different angles, specificly from the family members of those captives, from the larger part of israeli society who have been protesting in the thousands for more than 1.5 years, accusing benjamin netanyahu of prurging the war for his own personal and political gain. Israeli Officials Have Been Saying The Quiet Out Loud in recent Weeks, Saying That the Captives Were not the Main Priority for the Israeli Government and that they had other goals and objectives they had to achieve, “she added.
“The members of the family of captives say that the Israeli government chooses land seizures on the lives of the Israelis who are still detained in Gaza,” she continued, referring to the Israeli government’s decision to extend its offensive to Gaza in order to resume parts of the territory.
Current discussions in Doha
Earlier Sunday, two Hamas officials told the AFP news agency that talks continued in the Qatari capital of Doha with the United States and that “progress” had been made.
An official of Hamas, speaking of talks with the United States, said that there was “progress made … especially on the entrance to the aid to the Gaza Strip” and the potential exchange of captives for the Palestinian prisoners of the Israeli guard.
A second official also reported progress “on the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip”.
Israel broke the last cease-fire, which lasted two months on March 18, launching a major offensive in Gaza and increasing its bombing of the territory.
He also cut all the help in Gaza since March 2, saying that he would pressure Hamas to release the remaining captives. None have been released since the ephemeral break earlier this year, when several captives were exchanged for Palestinian prisoners.
In total, 59 captives are still in Gaza, about a third of them who are alive, after most of the others have been released in cease-fire agreements or other agreements.
Famine took place through Gaza due to the Israeli blockade.
Earlier this month, the Israeli government approved plans to extend its offensive in the Gaza Strip, those speaking to keep a long-term occupying presence there.
The Ministry of Health in Gaza said on Sunday that at least 2,720 people had been killed since Israel resumed its aggression, bearing the total number of Palestinian deaths since the war broke out at 52,829.
