Trump announces gesture of 'good faith' by Hamas

Hamas has agreed to release Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old Israeli-American soldier and the last known living US hostage held in Gaza, following negotiations with the United States, President Donald Trump has announced.

Alexander was abducted during the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in over 1,200 deaths and the capture of approximately 250 hostages. In a statement on Sunday, Hamas said that Alexander would be released “as part of efforts towards a ceasefire” and to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

“I am happy to announce that Edan Alexander, an American citizen who has been held hostage since October 2023, is coming home to his family,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, expressing gratitude to “all those involved,” without mentioning Israel.

“This was a step taken in good faith towards the United States and the efforts of the mediators - Qatar and Egypt - to put an end to this very brutal war and return ALL living hostages and remains to their loved ones,” he added.

Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected to arrive in Israel to oversee the release.

“We are picking him up probably tomorrow,” Witkoff told NBC News on Sunday. “There was a long negotiation with lots of people to thank,” he said, noting that the gesture of goodwill became possible “in large part” because of Trump.

The latest round of negotiations in Doha, conducted largely without Israel's involvement, was facilitated through indirect talks between Hamas and the US, mediated by Egypt and Qatar. Both mediators praised the development as “a gesture of goodwill and a positive step toward resuming negotiations aimed at reaching a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.”

Israeli forces resumed their offensive in Gaza in March following the collapse of a previous ceasefire – which Trump also claimed credit for. Israel accused Hamas of refusing to release the remaining 24 hostages believed to be alive, while Hamas blamed West Jerusalem for stalling talks aimed at ending a war that has claimed more than 50,000 Palestinian lives, most of them civilians.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently announced that the country's security cabinet had approved a new “forceful” plan to destroy Hamas, adding that Gaza's population “will be moved, to protect it.” According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Israeli forces have already restricted access to 70 percent of Gaza through no-go zones and forced displacement orders.

In February, Trump advocated for the “voluntary” relocation of Palestinians from Gaza to countries such as Jordan and Egypt, arguing that it would enable the enclave's transformation into a resort destination. Netanyahu called it a “remarkable idea” that should be “pursued.”