Hamas says it will release US-Israeli captive Edan Alexander

The connection did not bespeak erstwhile the 21-year-old Alexander would beryllium released.

Hamas has said it volition merchandise a US-Israeli captive held successful Gaza, arsenic the radical confirmed it was engaged successful nonstop talks with the United States towards securing a ceasefire successful the war-ravaged enclave and getting assistance flowing again to a suffering Palestinian population.

The Palestinian radical released a connection connected Sunday: “Israeli worker Edan Alexander, a dual US national, volition beryllium released arsenic portion of efforts towards a ceasefire” and the reopening of assistance crossings. Israel has blocked each aid, including food, medicine and fuel, for 70 days.

The Hamas connection did not bespeak erstwhile the 21-year-old Alexander would beryllium released, but it is thought to beryllium successful the coming 48 hours.

Israeli media reported that US envoy Steve Witkoff volition beryllium successful Israel connected Monday arsenic portion of the deal.

It comes soon earlier US President Donald Trump’s sojourn to the Middle East this week – which does not see a travel to Israel. Trump and Witkoff person often mentioned Alexander by sanction successful the past fewer months.

In its connection connected Sunday, Hamas said it was consenting to “immediately statesman intensive negotiations” that could pb to an statement to extremity the warfare and would spot Gaza nether a technocratic and autarkic administration.

“This volition guarantee calm and stableness for galore years, on with reconstruction and the extremity of the blockade,” the radical said.

There was nary contiguous remark from Trump administration.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bureau said connected Sunday that the US told Israel that Hamas’ freeing of Alexander would pb to negotiations for the merchandise of much captives. The connection added that Israel’s argumentation hasn’t changed: negotiations volition beryllium conducted nether occurrence with a continued committedness to achieving each warfare objectives.

Alexander, who grew up successful the US, was taken from his subject basal during the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack.

Earlier connected Sunday, 2 Hamas officials told the AFP quality bureau that talks were ongoing successful the Qatari superior of Doha with the US and reported “progress” had been made.

One Hamas official, speaking astir the talks with the US, said determination was “progress made … notably connected the introduction of assistance to the Gaza Strip” and the imaginable speech of captives for Palestinian prisoners successful Israeli custody.

A 2nd authoritative besides reported advancement “on the ceasefire successful the Gaza Strip”.

Israel shattered the past ceasefire, which lasted 2 months, connected March 18, launching a large violative successful Gaza and ramping up its bombardment of the territory.

It has besides chopped disconnected each assistance to Gaza since March 2, saying it would unit Hamas to merchandise the remaining captives. None person been released.

Starvation has taken clasp crossed Gaza owed to the Israeli blockade.

Earlier this month, the Israeli authorities approved plans to grow its violative successful the Gaza Strip, with officials talking of retaining a semipermanent beingness there.

The Health Ministry successful Gaza said connected Sunday that astatine slightest 2,720 radical person been killed since Israel resumed its campaign, bringing the wide decease toll since the warfare broke retired to 52,829.

Source

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Al Jazeera and quality agencies