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Hamas mentioned on Sunday it will launch an Israeli-American hostage held in Gaza as a goodwill gesture to Donald Trump, forward of a go to to the Center East this week by the US president.
Hamas chief Khalil al-Hayya mentioned the transfer to launch Edan Alexander was being taken after talks with US officers, the place the Palestinian militant group confirmed a “excessive degree of positivity” in a bid to safe a ceasefire with Israel and finish the struggle in Gaza.
Alexander “shall be launched as a part of the steps being taken to realize a ceasefire . . . and permit the entry of support and humanitarian reduction for our individuals within the Gaza Strip”, Hayya added.
A US official mentioned Alexander could possibly be freed as quickly as Monday, and a diplomat briefed on the talks with Hamas confirmed the settlement to launch him happened after America engaged instantly with the militant group.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned in an announcement that Israel was knowledgeable of the discharge by the US, and there have been no “circumstances or something in change” hooked up to it.
The diplomat briefed on the talks confirmed that the deliberate releasing of Alexander was not but a part of a wider ceasefire cope with Israel, and that the Israelis weren’t anticipated to launch Palestinian prisoners it holds in its jails in return.
However Israel was anticipated to halt its offensive in Gaza in the course of the launch, as mediators stick with efforts to thrash out a brand new ceasefire settlement.
The earlier deal collapsed in March after Netanyahu ordered a restart of the Israel Protection Forces’ offensive in Gaza in an try and strain Hamas into releasing the hostages it holds. Israel has additionally minimize off all support to Gaza, intensifying a humanitarian disaster within the territory.
Alexander, 21, was seized by Hamas whereas serving within the Israeli navy in the course of the group’s cross-border assault from Gaza on October 7 2023, which triggered the struggle.
Hamas killed 1,200 individuals in Israel on that day, and took an additional 250 hostage, based on Israeli officers. Israel’s offensive in Gaza has killed greater than 52,000 individuals, officers within the Hamas-controlled territory have mentioned.
A complete of 59 hostages are nonetheless held by Hamas, greater than half of whom are believed by Israel to be lifeless, together with 4 Israeli-American twin nationals. Alexander is considered the final dwelling Israeli-American held by Hamas.
Adam Boehler, the US particular envoy for hostage response, mentioned Alexander’s deliberate launch was the results of a “great effort by the US” and that “President Trump was travelling to the area and wished to get it completed”. He added Alexander can be freed on Monday.
“It’s a optimistic step ahead and we’d additionally ask that Hamas launch the our bodies of 4 different People that have been taken,” Boehler mentioned.
Trump is predicted to start a multi-day go to to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar this week.
US, Egyptian and Qatari mediators have been making an attempt for weeks to revive stalled talks between Israel and Hamas, and safe a brand new ceasefire.
Netanyahu has persistently refused to satisfy Hamas’s core demand of ending the struggle in return for the entire remaining hostages, vowing as an alternative final week to broaden the navy marketing campaign in Gaza till the group was absolutely defeated.
The Israeli premier mentioned earlier this month that whereas bringing the hostages dwelling was a “crucial purpose” within the struggle, the “final purpose is the victory over our enemies”.
In his assertion on Sunday, Netanyahu confirmed the US anticipated Alexander’s launch to result in renewed ceasefire talks, though he once more insisted any deal would solely be a brief multi-week truce that secured the discharge of extra hostages who’re nonetheless alive.
Israeli officers final week mentioned that the top of Trump’s regional go to offered a “window of alternative” for Hamas to launch extra hostages earlier than Israel expanded its new offensive in Gaza.
This might contain the IDF retaking management of all Gaza and pushing a lot of its 2.2mn individuals right into a sliver of land within the territory’s south.
“Negotiations shall be held below hearth, based mostly on the dedication to realize the entire targets of the struggle,” Netanyahu mentioned on Sunday.
