London – The American rehelo-Israelí Edan Alexander, who had been held captive by Hamas in Gaza since October 7, 2023, was released on Monday after successful negotiations between the United States and the Palestinian group.
Alexander’s mother, Yael, has reached the Re’im military base in Israel, near the border of Gaza, to see her son before they take him to a hospital in Tel Aviv. Retired bergantin. General Gal Hirsch, the Israeli coordinator of the prisoners of war and the missing persons, and the envoy of the Middle East of the United States Steve Witkoff also addresses the military base, an Israeli official said to ABC News.
Israeli security officials told ABC News that there would be a temporary pause in combat, air attacks and air recognition in the Gaza area, where Alexander, 21, would be released. The pause will last until Alexander crosses the Israeli territory, the authorities said, which is expected to take less than 30 minutes.
Alexander, a native of New Jersey, traveled to Israel at the age of 18. He was serving in Israel’s defense forces when he was captured from his base near Gaza’s border during the October 7 attack of Hamas. He was 19 when he was kidnapped and has had two birthday while he was in captivity.
Alexander is the last living American citizen who is still believed to be held by Hamas. It is believed that the terrorist group also supports the bodies of four dead American hostages, according to US officials.
The Israelis meet in the hostages in Tel Aviv on May 12, 2025 in anticipation of the launch of the Israeli captive, Edan Alexander.
Menahem Kahana/AFP through Getty Images
The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, met Monday with Witkoff and the United States ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, according to a reading of his office. Netanyahu also spoke with President Donald Trump, according to the statement, with the Israeli leader thanking Trump for his help to ensure Alexander’s liberation.
“The prime minister discussed the last effort to implement the scheme for the launch of the hostages presented by Witkoff, before the escalation of the fight,” said the statement. “To this end, the prime minister instructed that a negotiation delegation to Doha tomorrow be sent.”
“The prime minister clarified that negotiations will only take place under fire,” he added.
Varda Ben Baruch, grandmother of the hostage Edan Alexander Granduela, makes a gesture in a portrait of EDAN in Kibbutz Nir Oz, in southern Israel, on April 20, 2025.
Amir Cohen/Reuters
Hamas announced his intention to free Alexander on Sunday, describing the decision as a “part of the steps taken to achieve a high fire.”
The statement says that Hamas has been in contact with US officials “in recent days” as part of the Alto El Fuego negotiations.
Trump published in Truth Social saying that Alexander’s launch “is the first of those final steps necessary to end this brutal conflict.”
The members of the American Israeli hostages Edan Alexander, which was kidnapped during the deadly October 7 attack, arrive at an Israeli military helicopter at the Reim base, the day that Hamas, in Reim, Israel, Israel, is expected to be expected, on May 12, 2025.
Ammar Awad/Reuters
An American official familiar with the agreement to free Alexander told ABC News that the agreement joined in recent days through direct conversations between the United States and Hamas.
Alexander’s launch looks as a gesture of goodwill towards the Trump administration and a possible opening to boost conversations that surround the broader conflict, US officials said to ABC News.
Even so, the authorities said that the United States did not secure all the concessions it was looking for. The negotiators had also been pressing Hamas for the release of the remains of the four dead American hostages that are still held in Gaza, authorities said.
Alexander’s family said in a statement published through the Hostage Families forum that was informed of Hamas’ announcement and that “he is in continuous contact with the United States government about the possibility of Edan’s expected release in the next few days.”
A woman cries while she meets with others to see a live broadcast of the American Israeli soldier Edan Alexander to be released from Hamas’s captivity in Gaza, in a square known as the hostage square in Tel Aviv, May 12, 2025.
ODED BALILTTY/AP
They added that “it is forbidden to leave any hostage behind” and said that “Israel is committed to guaranteeing the return of the remaining 58 hostages without delay.”
Alexander was one of the 253 hostages taken during the October 7 attack of Hamas, in which they also killed some 1,200 people, according to Israel.
Israel’s subsequent offensive in Gaza had killed 52,829 people and wounded 119,554 more from Sunday, according to the figures published by the Hamas Ministry of Health in the Strip.
This is a development story. Consult the updates again.
Shannon K. Kingston of ABC News contributed to this report.
