Hamas says it will release Edan Alexander, the last living American hostage

Hamas has agreed to release hostage Edan Alexander, an American-Israeli dual national and Israeli soldier who is believed to be the last American being held alive in Gaza, along with the bodies of four other dual citizens, according to Hamas officials and a statement issued Friday by the Palestinian militant group.

Hamas is offering to release Alexander to kick-start a 50-day extension of the Gaza ceasefire’s first phase, a Hamas official told The Washington Post. In return, Hamas is demanding that negotiations with Israel over the deal’s second phase — which would include provisions for a withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and an end to the war in exchange for the release of remaining hostages — begin on the same day as Alexander’s release, according to two Hamas officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomatic talks.

It was not immediately clear whether the proposal would be accepted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has resisted discussing the deal’s second phase and considering a permanent end to hostilities in Gaza before the elimination of Hamas. But the offer by Hamas amounts to a variation of a proposal initially presented by President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff. By releasing American hostages, it appears to be an effort by Hamas to appeal to Trump while pressuring Netanyahu.

Source: msn