An Israeli-American hostage crossed into Israel on Monday after his release by Hamas amid a pause in fighting in Gaza, the Israeli military said, but there was no deal on a wider truce or hostage releases.
Israel’s military said it had received Edan Alexander after the International Committee of the Red Cross said it had facilitated his safe transfer, after 19 months of captivity, to Israeli authorities.
Mr Alexander was the last American held by Hamas and Israel’s Channel 12 said his condition was “low”, without citing a source.
Al Jazeera television showed a photograph of him standing next to masked fighters and a Red Cross official. Unlike in previous hostage releases, he was wearing civilian clothes.
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Israeli-American hostage leaves Gaza after release by Hamas
Fighting halted at midday in Gaza after Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Israel would pause its operations to allow safe passage for the hostage release.
Hamas said it was freeing Mr Alexander as a goodwill gesture to US president Donald Trump, who is visiting the region this week.
“Edan Alexander, American hostage thought dead, to be released by Hamas. Great news!” Mr Trump wrote in capital letters on his social media platform earlier in the day.
Mr Netanyahu said Mr Alexander’s release came thanks to Israel’s military pressure in Gaza and political pressure by Mr Trump.
The Israeli leader said he spoke with Mr Trump on Monday and the US president expressed commitment to Israel, according to a statement by Mr Netanyahu’s office.
Mr Netanyahu has said there will be no ceasefire and that plans to intensify military action in Gaza continue. Witnesses in the Gaza Strip said the movement of aviation over Gaza by Israeli warplanes and drones had resumed after Mr Alexander’s handover.
The release, after four-way talks between Hamas, the United States, Egypt and Qatar, could open the way to freeing the remaining 58 hostages held in the Gaza Strip, 19 months after the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7th, 2023.
Qatar and Egypt said Mr Alexander’s release was an encouraging step towards new truce talks. Israel will send a delegation to Qatar on Thursday to discuss a new proposal aimed at securing further hostage releases, Mr Netanyahu’s office said.
Mr Netanyahu has insisted that Israel’s planning for an expanded military campaign in Gaza will continue, as one of his far-right coalition partners, national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, said the war on Islamist militant group Hamas must not end and aid should not be let into the Palestinian enclave.
“Israel has not committed to a ceasefire of any kind,” Mr Netanyahu’s office said, adding that military pressure had forced Hamas into the release.
Gaza health authorities said an Israeli strike killed at least 15 people sheltering at a school on Monday before fighting paused. Israel’s military said it had targeted Hamas fighters there who were preparing an attack.
Mr Trump is due to visit Gulf states on a trip that does not include a stop in Israel but special envoy Steve Witkoff, who helped arrange Mr Alexander’s release, was expected in Israel on Monday, two Israeli officials said.
Mr Alexander’s family thanked Mr Trump and Mr Witkoff, saying in a statement that they hoped the decision would open the way for the release of the other remaining hostages. “We urge the Israeli government and the negotiating teams: please don’t stop,” they said.
US officials have tried to calm fears in Israel of a growing distance between Israel and Mr Trump, who last week announced an end to US bombing of Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, who have continued to fire missiles at Israel.
Mr Netanyahu, who was due to testify in the latest session of his trial on corruption charges that he denies, has faced pressure from hardliners in his cabinet not to end the war.
Following a ceasefire agreement that halted fighting in Gaza for two months and allowed the exchange of 38 hostages for Palestinian prisoners and detainees in Israeli jails, Israel resumed its military campaign in the enclave in March. − Reuters
