Hamas just announced that Edan Alexander, the last American hostage in Gaza, is gonna be set free. Apparently, this is part of a larger plan to establish a ceasefire, open up crossings into Gaza, and get the aid deliveries flowing again. Two Hamas officials spilled the beans to The Associated Press, saying they expect the release to go down within the next 48 hours.
The statement from Hamas on Sunday night didn’t give a specific time for when the release would happen. Interesting timing, too, since U.S. President Donald Trump is heading to the Middle East this week, although he’s skipping Israel on this trip.
Edan Alexander, an Israeli-American soldier who grew up in the U.S., got snatched during a Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, which kicked off the whole war in Gaza. No word yet from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, who wasn’t too thrilled about the U.S. talking directly with Hamas earlier this year.
Khalil al-Hayyah, a big shot in Hamas in Gaza, spilled the beans that they’ve been chatting with the U.S. government over the past few days. He mentioned that Hamas is all set to dive into some intense negotiations right away for a long-term truce. This deal would involve ending the war, trading Palestinian prisoners and hostages in Gaza, and handing power in Gaza over to a group of tech-savvy folks.
One Hamas official, who didn’t wanna be named (probably cuz he wasn’t supposed to be talking to the press), hinted that Edan Alexander could be walking free on Monday as a gesture of good faith. Another official, also speaking on the down-low, said the release is expected in the next 48 hours, but only if Israel can chill out with the fighting for a bit.
Edan’s folks haven’t piped up yet, and neither has Netanyahu’s office. But Trump and his sidekick Steve Witkoff have been bringing up Edan’s name a lot lately. Witkoff is supposed to swing by Israel soon, too.
Hamas even dropped a video of Edan back in November during Thanksgiving weekend, his favorite time of year. His mom said it was tough watching him cry and beg for help, but at least they knew he was still kickin’.
Born and raised in Tenafly, New Jersey, Edan made the jump to Israel after high school and joined up with the military. There are still 59 hostages in Gaza, with about a third of them thought to be alive. Most of the others got freed in ceasefire deals or other arrangements.
Meanwhile, Israel’s been dropping bombs left and right. Overnight and into Sunday, they took out 15 people in Gaza, a bunch of them women and kids. The strikes hit tents in Khan Younis, snuffing out two kids and their folks. Other strikes around town claimed seven more lives, including a dad and his little one in Gaza City.
Israel says they’re only targeting militants and trying not to hit civilians. They’re pointing fingers at Hamas, saying they’re hiding out in crowded areas, which is why civilians keep getting caught in the crossfire. No word yet from Israel on these latest strikes.
Israel’s also been blocking off Gaza from getting any supplies, like food and medicine, for over 10 weeks. They’re hoping it’ll push Hamas into freeing the hostages. In March, Israel ramped up the attacks again, breaking a ceasefire that had led to more than 30 hostages getting released.
The U.N. and aid groups are sounding the alarm, saying people are running low on food and things are getting dire. Kids were seen chasing after a water truck in northern Gaza, where wells are salty and dirty. One local said he’s stuck drinking that nasty water, which is making people sick, with no meds to help.
COGAT, the Israeli military group handling Palestinian affairs, insists that enough aid got in during a two-month ceasefire earlier this year. They say two out of three water lines from Israel are still running. But aid groups are saying it’s the worst humanitarian crisis Gaza has faced in this long-lasting war.
Trump’s gearing up for a trip to the region, but Israel’s not on the itinerary. The war started when Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel back in October 2023, leaving over 1,200 people dead and 251 hostages taken. About a third of those hostages are still stuck in Gaza, waiting to be set free.
The offensive from Israel has cost over 52,800 Palestinian lives, mostly women and kids, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The territory’s been destroyed, and around 90% of the population, roughly 2 million people, have been forced out of their homes.
