Hamas has reportedly agreed to release Edan Alexander, the last living American hostage.
Alexander, 21, will be freed along with the remains of four other hostages, according to a mediated agreement. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum stated that Alexander has been held for 525 days as of Friday.
The Associated Press reports that the bodies to be released are of hostages with dual citizenship. The timing of the transfer is unclear. These developments occur as discussions continue in Qatar to establish the next stage of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, which initially ended on March 1.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced Friday that he will meet with his ministerial team on Saturday to receive a detailed report from negotiators and decide on the next steps for securing the release of the hostages.
Axios reported on Thursday that Steve Witkoff, special envoy to the Middle East, presented a U.S. proposal to Israel and Hamas for extending the ceasefire by several weeks in exchange for more hostage releases by Hamas and the resumption of humanitarian aid to Gaza, citing sources familiar with the plan.
Netanyahu stated Friday that “While Israel has accepted the Witkoff proposal, Hamas remains firm in its refusal and has not moved an inch,” and that Hamas continues “to employ manipulations and psychological warfare.”
Last week, Witkoff told reporters outside the White House that “Edan Alexander is very important to us as all the hostages are.”
According to the American Jewish Committee (AJC), Alexander spent most of his life in New Jersey but was born in Israel shortly before his parents moved to the U.S.
After graduating from high school, Alexander chose to enlist in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) instead of attending college.
On Oct. 7, Alexander, serving in the IDF’s Golani Brigade, an infantry unit, was patrolling near Gaza when Hamas launched its attacks on Israel. These attacks resulted in 1,200 Israeli deaths and the capture of 251 hostages, including Alexander.
In a recent interview with AJC’s “People of the Pod,” Edan’s mother, Yael Alexander, described the day he was taken hostage. She was visiting family in Israel in early October 2023 and hoped to see Edan. On the morning of Oct. 7, she spoke with Edan, who said he was witnessing “terrible stuff” but assured her he was safe, before he was taken hostage.
On Nov. 30, 2024, over a year after Alexander’s capture, Hamas released a video of Alexander speaking in Hebrew and Arabic. Like other hostages forced to make propaganda videos, Alexander delivered messages about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then-President-elect .
A few days after the video’s release, Adi Alexander, Edan’s father, spoke with “Fox & Friends First,” describing the film as “very emotional” and “disturbing.” He said it was the first sign of life from their son since his capture.
Earlier this month, Trump warned Hamas to “Release all of the Hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you.”
“A beautiful Future awaits, but not if you hold Hostages. If you do, you are DEAD! Make a SMART decision. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW, OR THERE WILL BE HELL TO PAY LATER!” Trump said.
At the time, Hamas spokesman Abdel-Latif al-Qanoua reportedly stated that the “best path to free the remaining Israeli hostages” is through negotiations on a second phase of the ceasefire agreement.
‘ Yael Rotem-Kuriel, Rachel Wolf and Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.