Hamas says last American hostage in Gaza will be freed as part of ceasefire push

Palestinian militant group Hamas has announced it will release Edan Alexander — believed to be the last living American hostage held in Gaza — as part of a broader effort to secure a ceasefire and reopen key crossings into the war-torn territory.

The militant group issued a statement late Sunday confirming its intentions, but stopped short of giving a timeframe for the 21-year-old's release. The reached out to the US State Department for a comment on this new development in the ongoing hostage crisis in .

The development comes just days before former US President is . While Trump will not be stopping in Israel, the timing has raised eyebrows, especially as his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected to land in the country within hours.

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Alexander, an Israeli-American soldier who grew up in Tenafly, New Jersey, was captured by Hamas during the October 7, 2023, surprise attack on southern Israel — an assault that sparked the ongoing war in Gaza.

He had moved to Israel in 2022 after graduating high school and had enlisted in the military.

While there has been no official response yet from Israeli Prime Minister ’s office, relations between his government and Washington have been strained in recent months, particularly after US officials held direct talks with Hamas earlier this year — a move that reportedly angered Israeli leadership.

In a statement, Hamas official confirmed that the group had been in contact with the US administration over the last several days. He added that Hamas was prepared to “immediately start intensive negotiations” for a long-term ceasefire deal. Such an agreement, he said, would include ending the war, exchanging Palestinian prisoners and Israeli hostages, and transferring power in Gaza to an independent technocratic body.

Alexander's parents have not responded to media requests for comment since the announcement. But in February, his mother Yael Alexander spoke to The Associated Press about the agony of waiting, saying: “Every time they say Edan's name, it's like they didn't forget. They didn't forget he's American, and they're working on it.”

A video showing Edan in captivity was released by Hamas over the Thanksgiving weekend last year — his favourite holiday. The footage, showing the young soldier crying and pleading for help, was deeply distressing for his family but served as confirmation that he was still alive.

Fifty-nine hostages remain in Gaza, with roughly a third believed to be alive. Most others were freed in previous ceasefire deals or through negotiations.

The current Middle East conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an unprecedented and deadly surprise attack on Israel, killing around 1,200 people, most of them civilians — including women, children and entire families.

Militants stormed into Israeli towns near the Gaza border, shooting people in their homes, on the streets, and at a music festival. More than 250 people were taken hostage, dragged across the border into Gaza — among them were elderly people, children, and foreign nationals.

In response, Israel declared war on Hamas and launched a massive military operation inside Gaza — one of the most densely populated areas in the . The goal: to destroy Hamas’ military capabilities and rescue the hostages.

Since then, the Israeli bombardment and ground invasion have killed over 52,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which is run by Hamas. Many of the victims are reported to be women and children, with homes, and schools among the buildings hit. Entire neighbourhoods have been flattened.