Edan Alexander, the last American citizen kidnapped by terrorists of Hamas and hostages of heroes for more than 19 months, will be released from captivity, Hamas said in a statement on Sunday.
Hamas’s statement on Sunday night said the launch was part of the ongoing mediation efforts to establish a high fire, ropen crossings in the territory with Israeli block and resume the delivery of help. It does not say when liberation will occur. Two Hamas officials told The Associated Press that they expect launch in the next 48 hours.
The office of the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said he was aware of Hamas’ plans to free Alexander “as a gesture for Americans” in a statement to CBS News on Sunday.
“The United States has informed Israel that the movement is expected to lead to negotiations for the release of hostages under the original Witkoff scheme, which Israel has already accepted,” said the office, reference to terms negotiated by Steve.
“Israel is preparation for the possibility that this movement materializes,” the statement continued. “According to Israeli politics, negotiations will take place under fire with the commitment to achieve all war objectives.”
Alexander is A 20-year-old Israeli-American soldier Who grew up in New Jersey and was a soldier in the Israeli army when Hamas attacked on October 7, 2023. He was kidnapped from the military base where he was parked near the border of Gaza, along with 250 tasks of people like hostages that day from the south of Israel, while 1,200 more were killed.
“If this launch is confirmed, the launch of Edican Alexander must mark the beginning of a comprehensive agreement that will ensure the freedom of all real hostages,” reacted the headquarters of the family forum and the missing react to the news in a statement.
The group established by the families of the kidnapped urged President Trump and Netanyahu to bring everyone back.
“You have given the families of all the hostages they expect,” the statement said. “Please complete your mission and bring them home to everyone.”
Maya Allerzzo / AP 
While the fight intensified on the base that morning, Alexander sent a message to his mother, he told him that he had caught the shrapnel in the surrounding explosions, but found a protected area. His family lost contact with him after 7 am, Associated Press reported.
“He is just me although things were already becoming dangerous around him. That was the last time I heard my son’s voice. I can’t describe the pain of not knowing where your son is or how he hears,” said Alexander’s mother, Yael Alexander. CBS New York In October.
She and her father, Adi Alexander, with former President Joe Biden and President Trump at the end of last year to press for an agreement that would release all hostages that are still held in Gaza. Trump said earlier this month that it was believed that less than two hostage boxes were alive. Alexander should be among them.
As the attempts to reach a highly the permanent fire between Israel and Hamas have resorted, the militants have periodically released the hostages in exchange for heroes of Palestinian prisoners in Israel. Around 100 hostages were returned to Israel during a pause of the letter in the fighting in November 2023, almost a few months after the attack of October 7, 2023, led Israel to declare the war against Hamas and begin to bomb Gaza.
Some of the people released in that first exchange said they had seen Alexander in captivity. His grandmother, Varda Ben Baruch, told Associated Press at that time that the hostages said his grandson kept calm and encouraged them that everyone would be released soon.
Less than 50 living people have been released from Hamas’s captivity since the high temporary fire in November 2023. The militants released 30 of the people between January and March of this year, as part of other stages of exchange. Although the family members of those in captive in progress have repeatedly begged US leaders and Israelis to solidify an agreement that prioritizes the safe performance of the hostages, Israel finished its high fire with Hamas in March and renewed their offensive in Gaza, where Palestinian officials said that the number of deaths has increased to at least 52,000.
Haley Ott contributed to this report.
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