Hamas has announced its intention to release Israeli-American captive Idan Alexander. The announcement comes amidst ongoing Israeli aggression that have claimed the lives of over 2,700 Palestinians since the war reignited on March 18th.
Hamas announced it has been involved in direct talks with the Trump administration and that in a goodwill step, it will release Israeli-American soldier Edan Alexander.https://t.co/dAfk94sIR0
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) May 11, 2025
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, remains steadfast in his stance, insisting that Hamas’s gesture will not be reciprocated with a cessation of hostilities or the release of Palestinian prisoners.
In a statement, Netanyahu emphasized that negotiations aimed at securing the release of all Gaza captives will persist “under fire,” while the Israeli occupation military prepares for a potential escalation in the war.
He further asserted that Israel’s sole obligation is to establish a safe passage for Alexander’s release, attributing the breakthrough to the “military pressure” exerted on Gaza.
Hamas: Ready for Intensive Negotiations
Yesterday evening, Hamas announced that it would release Alexander, at an unspecified date, shortly after Hamas officials announced direct talks with the United States in Doha regarding a ceasefire and the entry of aid into Gaza.
Khalil al-Hayya, the movement’s leader in Gaza, explained in a statement that Hamas is ready to “immediately begin intensive negotiations and make serious efforts to reach a final agreement to stop the war, exchange prisoners by mutual consent, and have the Gaza Strip governed by an independent, professional body, ensuring continued calm and stability for many years, along with reconstruction and an end to the blockade.”
Alexander’s family also announced in a statement that they had been informed that he would be released “in the coming days.”
Trump: “A gesture of goodwill”
US President Donald Trump praised the announcement, expressing his hope for the release of all prisoners and an end to the war.
On his platform, Truth Social, he described the release of the prisoner as a “gesture of goodwill.”
U.S. President Donald Trump has confirmed that Hamas will release American-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander, who was captured by the Palestinian resistance movement during his service in the Israeli occupation army.https://t.co/sW5JeBhwDO
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) May 11, 2025
For their part, Egypt and Qatar described Hamas’ announcement as “a gesture of goodwill and an encouraging step toward returning the parties to the negotiating table to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the release of prisoners and detainees, and ensuring the safe and unhindered flow of aid to address the tragic conditions in the Strip.”
Since March 18, when the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip resumed, 2,720 Palestinians have been killed and 7,513 others injured, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza.
Source: Agencies (edited and translated by Al-Manar English Website)
