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Hamas frees last American captive
Fighting stopped at midday in Gaza after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would pause its operations to allow safe passage for the hostage release.
Hamas said in a statement it had freed Alexander, the last American it held, and a source familiar with the matter said Edan Alexander had been handed to the Red Cross, Reuters reported.
“The (Ezzedine) Al-Qassam Brigades have just released the Zionist soldier and American citizen Edan Alexander, following contacts with the US administration, as part of the efforts undertaken by mediators to achieve a cease-fire,” Hamas said.
The release, after four-way talks between Hamas, the United States, Egypt and Qatar, could open the way to freeing the remaining 59 hostages held in the Gaza Strip, 19 months after Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Qatar and Egypt said Alexander’s release was an encouraging step towards new truce talks. Israel will send a delegation to Qatar on Thursday to discuss a new proposal aimed at securing further hostage releases, Netanyahu’s office said.
Netanyahu has insisted that Israel’s planning for an expanded military campaign in Gaza will continue, as one of his coalition partners, national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, said the war on Hamas must not end and aid should not be let in to the territory.
Gaza health authorities said an Israeli strike killed at least 15 people sheltering at a school on Monday before fighting paused.
The global hunger monitor, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) reported on Monday that half a million people in the Gaza Strip face starvation and there is a critical risk of famine by September.