Edan Alexander is back with his family after Hamas freed him in what they termed a “goodwill gesture” towards Trump.
Edan Alexander, the last American citizen held by Hamas, has been reunited with his family following his release by the Palestinian group on Monday.
Hamas attributed the release to a “goodwill gesture” aimed at US President Donald Trump, who is currently visiting Gulf Arab nations, as the US continues to mediate a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel.
Alexander, a 21-year-old Israeli-American, was serving in the IDF when he was captured on the Gaza border during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on southern Israel. The attack resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths and the capture of around 250 hostages, marking the deadliest day in Israel’s history. Israel responded with a sustained military campaign in Gaza with the goal of eliminating Hamas.
Following US-led negotiations on Sunday, with mediation by Egypt and Qatar, Hamas announced Alexander’s release as part of efforts to achieve a ceasefire and facilitate humanitarian aid delivery to Gaza.
On Monday, the IDF temporarily suspended military actions in Gaza for several hours to enable Alexander’s transfer. He has since rejoined his family at an Israeli military base.
US President Donald Trump initially announced Alexander’s impending release on his Truth Social account on Sunday, describing it as a “step taken in good faith” by Hamas to end the “very brutal war” and return all living hostages and remains to their loved ones.
The following day, Trump confirmed Alexander’s release and congratulated his family. He also shared a video of his special envoy Steve Witkoff, who was in Israel to oversee the transfer, handing Alexander’s mother a phone to speak with her son shortly after his release.
Alexander’s family later issued a statement thanking Trump and appealing to the Israeli government and negotiators to persist in their efforts to free the remaining 58 hostages.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Alexander’s release was due to Israel’s military pressure in Gaza and political pressure from the US president.
IDF fire resumed after the release, with authorities in Gaza reporting that an airstrike killed three people and wounded several others at a shelter for displaced families in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza.
Netanyahu clarified that the brief pause in military operations was solely to facilitate Alexander’s safe transfer and did not represent a wider truce. He also affirmed Israel’s intention to intensify its military operations in Gaza.