Hamas announced on Sunday that it intends to release the last living American hostage, Edan Alexander, a U.S.-Israeli dual citizen who has been held hostage in Gaza since the group’s coordinated assault on southern Israel on October 7.
In a statement translated from Arabic, the terror organization said the potential release is part of a broader diplomatic effort aimed at securing a ceasefire. “As part of the efforts made by the brotherly mediators to achieve a ceasefire, Hamas has been in contact with the U.S. administration in recent days,” the group said.
“The movement has shown a high level of positivity, and the Israeli soldier with dual American citizenship, Edan Alexander, will be released as part of the steps being taken toward a ceasefire, the opening of border crossings, and the entry of aid and relief for our people in the Gaza Strip.”
While Hamas presented the announcement as a humanitarian gesture, many observers note it is part of a familiar pattern of using hostages as bargaining chips in negotiations over ceasefires, aid access, and political leverage.
The timeline for Alexander’s possible release remains unclear.
Alexander, who was born in Tel Aviv and raised in Tenafly, New Jersey,