Hamas released a US-Israeli hostage from Gaza on Monday. The release came just before US President Donald Trump’s visit to the region. The Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, confirmed the handover. “The (Ezzedine) Al-Qassam Brigades have just released the Zionist soldier and American citizen Edan Alexander, following contacts with the US administration, as part of the efforts undertaken by mediators to achieve a ceasefire,” the group said.

Celebrations Erupt as Alexander Returns

Soon after, the Israeli military confirmed that Edan Alexander had safely returned to Israel. He was expected to reunite with his family.

Meanwhile, in Tenafly, New Jersey, where Alexander grew up, large crowds celebrated his release. People waved flags and gathered in joy. According to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, his family and friends shouted his name and applauded when they heard the news.

Netanyahu Credits Trump and Israeli Forces

Following the release, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Alexander’s return. “The Government of Israel is committed to the return of all hostages and missing persons — both the living and the fallen,” he said.

Moreover, he gave credit to President Trump’s “political pressure” and Israel’s “military pressure” for making the release possible.

However, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum urged a different approach. In a statement, the group asked Netanyahu to commit to peace talks. They said he should declare readiness to “negotiate a comprehensive agreement” for the release of all hostages.

One of the Forum’s volunteers, Meirav Etrogbar, told AFP, “They should stop the war and bring all the hostages back home in a deal, not military pressure.”

Hamas Opens Talks With US

Meanwhile, Hamas confirmed it had started direct talks with the United States. The goal is to reach a ceasefire.

In another statement, Hamas said, “We affirm that serious and responsible negotiations yield results in the release of prisoners, while the continuation of aggression prolongs their suffering and may kill them.”
They added,
“We urge President Trump’s administration to continue its efforts to end this brutal war.”

More Hostage Talks Underway

Alexander was the last known American citizen still alive in Gaza. His release came just as Trump began his Middle East trip, starting in Saudi Arabia.

On Monday, Netanyahu thanked Trump again. He also said that he had sent a team to Qatar for more hostage negotiations. The team would travel there on Tuesday.

Earlier, Netanyahu clarified, “Israel has not committed to a ceasefire of any kind or the release of terrorists but only to a safe corridor that will allow for the release of Edan.”

He stressed that talks would continue “under fire, during preparations for an intensification of the fighting.”

Gaza Faces Deepening Crisis

At the same time, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) warned that Gaza was on the edge of famine. It said that 22% of Gaza’s population was facing an immediate humanitarian catastrophe due to Israel’s aid blockade, which has lasted more than two months.

Gaza Sees Brief Calm During Release

Ahead of the handover, a Hamas source said that mediators informed them of a brief pause in Israeli military activity. This allowed for Alexander’s release. Because of this, residents in war-torn Gaza saw rare calm.

Somaya Abu Al-Kas, a 34-year-old woman displaced to Khan Yunis, said, “Calm settled over Gaza, there was no shelling, and no nearby aircraft, which is very rare.”

However, others remained fearful. Um Mohammed Zomlot, 50, also displaced in Khan Yunis, said, “Everyone is afraid that the shelling might resume suddenly after the prisoner is released.”

Indeed, violence soon returned. Gaza’s civil defence agency reported that at least 10 people died in an overnight Israeli strike on a school sheltering displaced civilians.

International Reactions Pour In

On Sunday, when Hamas announced it would release Alexander, Trump responded on social media. He wrote, “Monumental news” and described it as a “good faith gesture.”
He added, “Hopefully this is the first of those final steps necessary to end this brutal conflict.”

Meanwhile, Egypt and Qatar, who helped mediate talks, welcomed the release. In a joint statement, they called it “an encouraging step toward a return to the negotiating table.”

War Still Ongoing

According to Israeli authorities, Hamas captured 251 hostages during its October 7, 2023 attack. As of now, 57 hostages remain in Gaza, including 34 believed to be dead.

On March 18, Israel ended a two-month ceasefire. Since then, Israeli forces have increased attacks in Gaza. Earlier this month, Israel’s government approved plans to expand its military campaign. Officials even spoke of maintaining a long-term presence in Gaza. Hamas’s October 2023 attack killed 1,218 people in southern Israel, most of them civilians, according to official numbers.

Meanwhile, Gaza’s health ministry said on Monday that Israeli attacks had killed 2,749 people since the latest phase of the war began. The total death toll in Gaza has now reached 52,862.