The Hamas terrorist team stated Saturday that it is going to handiest unencumber Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander if Israel implements the prevailing ceasefire settlement within the Gaza Strip.
Alexander, 21, is the remaining residing American hostage in captivity in the Gaza Strip.
A senior Hamas legitimate informed the Related Press that long-delayed talks over the ceasefire’s 2d section would wish to start the day of the discharge and remaining not than 50 days. Israel would additionally wish to forestall barring the access of humanitarian help and withdraw from a strategic hall alongside Gaza’s border with Egypt.
Hamas referred to as it an “outstanding deal” aimed toward getting the truce again not off course, in keeping with the legitimate, who spoke to The AP on situation of anonymity.
A lady holds a picture of hostage Edan Alexander throughout the International Day of Solidarity and Prayer with Israel’s Hostages and Lacking Households Discussion board, which represents the family of the ones taken captive by way of Palestinian Hamas militants throughout the October 7 assault. (Photograph by way of YURI CORTEZ/AFP by way of Getty Photographs)
AFTER TRUMP THREAT, HAMAS REFUSES TO RELEASE MORE HOSTAGES WITHOUT PHASE 2 CEASEFIRE DEAL
Hamas may be hard the discharge of extra Palestinian prisoners in change for hostages, the legitimate stated.
Hamas on Friday agreed to unencumber Alexander at the side of the our bodies of 4 different hostages following a deal presented by way of mediators. He has now been held captive for 526 days as of Saturday, the Hostages and Lacking Households Discussion board stated.
It comes as talks are ongoing in Qatar to ascertain the following section of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, the primary section of which ended on March 1.
The workplace of Steve Witkoff, particular envoy to the Middle East, and the Nationwide Safety Council stated in a joint observation that “President Trump has made it transparent that Hamas will both unencumber hostages in an instant, or pay a critical worth.”
Witkoff and Eric Trager, Nationwide Safety Council senior director for the Center East and North Africa, offered a ‘bridge’ proposal to increase the ceasefire past Ramadan and Passover and make allowance time to barter a framework for an everlasting ceasefire.
Israeli High Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is predicted to convene his ministerial staff on Saturday to obtain an in depth document from negotiators and make a decision at the subsequent steps for the discharge of the hostages.
President Donald Trump is noticed posing with a photograph of Edan Alexander on Oct. 7, 2024 in New York Town. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Photographs)
In the meantime, quite a lot of rallies are anticipated to happen all over Israel on Saturday to call for that each one closing 59 hostages are launched, the Hostages and Lacking Households Discussion board stated. The principle rallies will happen in Tel Aviv, Sha’ar HaNegev Junction, Carmei Gat and Jerusalem.
Despite the fact that he spent maximum of his existence in New Jersey, Alexander was once born in Israel a couple of months ahead of his oldsters moved to the U.S., in keeping with the American Jewish Committee (AJC).
After graduating from highschool, Alexander determined he would enlist within the Israel Protection Forces (IDF) slightly than sign up in school.
On Oct. 7, Alexander, who was once serving within the IDF’s Golani Brigade, an infantry unit, was once patrolling close to Gaza when Hamas’ assaults on Israel started. The assaults ended with 1,200 Israelis lifeless and 251 hostages taken, together with Alexander.
Hamas terrorists soak up positions forward of a hostage unencumber in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Saturday Feb. 8, 2025. (AP)
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Yael Alexander, Edan’s mom, recounted the day he was once taken hostage in a contemporary interview with AJC’s “Folks of the Pod.” Yael was once in Israel in early October 2023, visiting her circle of relatives and hoping to look Edan. At the morning of Oct. 7, she spoke with Edan, who stated that he was once seeing “horrible stuff,” however he confident her that he was once protected. Then he was once taken hostage.
On Nov. 30, 2024, greater than a 12 months after Alexander was once captured, Hamas launched a video of Alexander talking in Hebrew and Arabic. Alexander, like different hostages pressured to make propaganda movies, delivered messages about Netanyahu and then-President-elect Donald Trump.
Fox Information’ Yael Rotem-Kuriel, Trey Yingst, Rachel Wolf and Stephen Sorace, in addition to The Related Press, contributed to this document.
