Hamas to release Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander ahead of Trump’s Middle East visit

Hamas announced on Monday that it will release Edan Alexander, an Israeli-American believed to be the last US national held captive in Gaza, in what the group described as a gesture aimed at advancing ceasefire negotiations and facilitating humanitarian aid to the besieged enclave.

The announcement comes just a day before US President Donald Trump is set to arrive in the Middle East for high-level meetings, raising speculation that the move may be part of a broader effort to broker a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas.

In a statement issued from Gaza, Hamas said Alexander’s release was “a humanitarian step” intended to ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which has now endured 70 days under a stringent Israeli blockade.

“We are taking this measure to encourage progress in ceasefire discussions and to allow the entry of urgent humanitarian aid,” the group said.

The US State Department has yet to officially confirm the release timeline, but senior administration officials acknowledged that discussions are ongoing.

A Hamas official told the BBC earlier that negotiations were being conducted directly with a US envoy in Qatar, marking a rare moment of direct contact between the Palestinian group and the American government.

Edan Alexander, who has dual Israeli and American citizenship, was captured during the early stages of the conflict. His case has been a priority for Washington, with repeated calls from US officials for his unconditional release.

In Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed coordination efforts for Alexander’s release but stressed that no formal ceasefire agreement had been reached.

“Israel has only agreed to a limited safe corridor to ensure the safe handover of Edan Alexander,” the PMO said, adding that the military was “still preparing for an intensified phase of operations in Gaza.”

Netanyahu’s aides emphasized that the release was a result of sustained military pressure on Hamas.

“This outcome demonstrates that strength brings results,” a government spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, humanitarian agencies have welcomed the potential opening of aid channels but cautioned that a one-off release would not address the broader crisis in Gaza, where shortages of medicine, food, and fuel have reached critical levels.

President Trump’s upcoming visit is expected to include stops in Jerusalem, Amman, and potentially Doha, with sources suggesting he may seek to capitalize on the momentum to push for a broader truce.

As the region braces for the high-stakes diplomatic maneuvering to come, the focus remains on the safe return of Edan Alexander — and on whether this gesture will be a turning point or merely a brief pause in a grinding conflict.