Hamas releases Israeli American soldier Edan Alexander as negotiations to end war resume under Israeli fire

Hamas confirmed it delivered American-Israeli national Edan Alexander to humanitarian agencies on Monday evening after talks with the US. The decision, a source from the movement told Mada Masr on condition of anonymity, followed US guarantees that doing so would pave a way forward for negotiations to secure a ceasefire in Gaza.

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported on Monday evening that Alexander was delivered to the International Committee of the Red Cross near Khan Younis.

Negotiations toward a deal between Hamas and Israel have stumbled over recent weeks while the latter has continued to bombard the Gaza Strip and advance an ongoing ground invasion, displacing hundreds of thousands of people and bulldozing their homes, forcing them to seek shelter in increasingly small areas to the west of the coastal enclave.

The Qassam Brigades, the movement’s military wing, stated on Monday morning that the dual national would be transferred to Israel in the coming hours. 

Alexander, a 21-year-old soldier in the Israeli army who was raised in New Jersey, is thought to be the last living American prisoner held by Hamas. Four other Americans have been declared dead by Israeli authorities.

The Hamas source said its decision to release the American prisoner came as Washington requested a concrete gesture — communicated through mediators — to prove Hamas’s seriousness and willingness to show flexibility toward talks on ending the war. They added that Hamas agreed to the request as a sign of goodwill and to demonstrate its seriousness to US President Donald Trump.

Trump said that Hamas was taking the step in "good faith," toward the US and the efforts of mediators Egypt and Qatar, to "put an end to this very brutal war" and return all of the "hostages and remains to their loved ones" adding that he hoped this would be the first of the final steps. There are 59 Israeli prisoners, including Alexander, still believed to be held by Hamas. More than half are believed to be dead, according to Israel.

More recent negotiations to end the war have stumbled over, with disagreements over Hamas retaining control of its weapons. Sources close to Egypt’s mediating delegation told Mada Masr they had begun to push instead for a temporary pause to secure humanitarian assistance for civilians who have already endured over 9 weeks of a total siege.

Khalil al-Hayyah, the head of Hamas in Gaza and of its negotiating delegation, said on Sunday that the group continues to work toward a ceasefire, the opening of border crossings and the delivery of humanitarian aid to residents of the besieged enclave.

He also said Hamas is willing to agree to scenarios that would see it hand over Gaza’s administration to an "independent professional committee” to guarantee long-term calm and stability, reconstruction in the strip and the end of Israel’s blockade.

Israel will continue its policy of negotiating “under fire” however, “to achieve all of the objectives of the war,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netenyahu’s office stated on Sunday evening.

The statement also stressed ongoing preparations for the “intensification of the fighting.”

At the same time, Netanyahu announced a safe corridor would be provided for Alexander’s release, but emphasized that this would not lead to additional guarantees from the Israeli government.

The Israeli statement noted that Alexander’s release by Hamas “without getting anything in return” is thanks to Israeli policy, backed by Trump, as well as the “troops’ military pressure” in Gaza.

Israeli airstrikes targeted the tents of displaced families in several areas of Khan Younis on Sunday night, killing 10 people, including four children.

From their side, the Hamas source noted that talks with the US are ongoing and expected to continue after Alexander’s release, adding that discussions will extend into Trump’s upcoming visit to the Gulf region.

Earlier in March, in a break with convention, Hamas held direct talks with US officials around the release of US citizens held by the group.

Egypt and Qatar released a joint statement on Sunday to welcome Hamas’s approval of Alexander’s release, describing the move as a “gesture of goodwill” and a positive step toward a return to negotiations between Israel and Hamas for a ceasefire, the release of prisoners and the guarantee of the safe and unhindered flow of aid to address the “dire humanitarian situation” in the besieged enclave.

Palestinians in the strip have had no food, fuel or any other commodities reaching them since the beginning of March, when Israel abandoned the prisoner-release framework established under January’s ceasefire deal and imposed a blockade on food and aid, while also resuming its bombardment, aiming to pressure Hamas into releasing the prisoners it still holds.

Since launching its genocidal war on Gaza in 2023, Israel has killed over 52,829 people, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The figure is widely considered to be an underestimate of the real toll, with recent studies suggesting the actual number likely exceeds 100,000, considering those who are still missing or buried under the rubble are not included in the official count.