Hamas to release US-Israeli hostage as part of direct Gaza talks with US

GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories: Hamas said it would release a US-Israeli hostage held in Gaza as the group revealed it was engaged in direct talks with the United States towards a ceasefire in the war-battered territory.

“Israeli soldier Edan Alexander, a dual US national, will be released as part of efforts towards a ceasefire” and the reopening of aid crossings, Hamas said in a statement. It was not immediately clear when 21-year-old Alexander would be released. It is part of efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement and allow humanitarian aid to enter the besieged enclave, the Palestinian group said. Another official, the exiled Gaza Hamas chief Khalil al-Hayya, said efforts to facilitate the release have been jointly carried out by Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey.

“The movement affirms its readiness to immediately start intensive negotiations and make serious efforts to reach a final agreement to end the war, exchange prisoners in an agreed-upon manner,” Hayya added.

Direct four-way talks that led to the release were held between officials from the US, Qatar, Egypt and Hamas, a source briefed on the negotiations told Reuters. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli prime minister’s office on the announcement. Hamas had released 38 hostages under a ceasefire that began on January 19. In March, Israel’s military resumed its ground and aerial offensive on Gaza, abandoning the ceasefire after Hamas rejected proposals to extend the truce without ending the war.

Israeli officials said that offensive will continue until the remaining 59 hostages are freed and Gaza is demilitarized. Hamas insists it will free hostages only as part of a deal to end the war and has rejected demands to lay down its arms.

Hamas has said it is willing to free all remaining hostages its gunmen seized in attacks in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, and to agree to a permanent ceasefire if Israel pulls out completely from Gaza.

Israel, which is in control of around a third of Gaza’s territory and has been imposing an aid blockade since March, said in May it will expand its Gaza offensive. US special envoy Adam Boehler said: “It’s a positive step forward and we would also ask that Hamas release the bodies of four other Americans that were taken.”