Saturday, March 29, 2025
Hamas frees US hostage Edan Alexander in Gaza, marking a key development in ongoing efforts to end the conflict. The 20-year-old dual national, who served in the Israel Defense Forces, spent 584 days in captivity. Former President Donald Trump hailed the release as a “good faith step” toward a possible ceasefire and further hostage returns.
Masked Hamas fighters handed Alexander to the Red Cross on Monday. Israel paused military activity at midday for the transfer. The Red Cross drove Alexander to the Israeli border, where his family, who had flown in from the United States, greeted him after a medical check.
He wore civilian clothes and appeared in stable condition. He told Israeli soldiers that he spent much of his captivity in a cage, handcuffed alongside other hostages, inside a tunnel system.
Trump posted about the release on Truth Social, congratulating Alexander’s family and praising mediators Qatar and Egypt. He called it a promising gesture toward ending what he described as a brutal war.
In an earlier post, Trump said the handover reflected a “good faith step” by Hamas and showed that diplomatic efforts were making progress.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Trump for his role but also credited Israeli military pressure. “This result came from the combination of our ground operations and Trump’s diplomatic efforts,” Netanyahu said.
Throughout the conflict, Netanyahu has insisted that force is the most effective way to bring the hostages home. However, Trump continues to push for a broader peace agreement.
Hamas released a statement saying it freed Alexander after talks with the US. The group wants a ceasefire, open border crossings, and humanitarian aid for Gaza.
“We ask President Trump’s administration to keep working to stop this war,” Hamas added.
Alexander’s release comes just before Trump’s first post-reelection visit to the Middle East. Notably, he won’t visit Israel. His ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, denied any rift, calling recent meetings with Israeli officials “excellent.”
Despite support from some far-right Israeli leaders in the past, Trump has recently shown less public backing for Netanyahu’s war strategy. Netanyahu, however, hopes the US leader remains focused on other issues like Ukraine and China.
In Tel Aviv, crowds gathered in Hostages Square to watch footage of Alexander’s release. Trump claimed only 20 hostages are still alive, though Israeli officials have not confirmed this.
Relatives of the remaining 58 captives urged the Israeli government to push for a broader deal. Einav Zangauker, mother of hostage Matan Zangauker, criticized Netanyahu sharply. She accused him of choosing war over rescue efforts and called for mass protests.
“Instead of saving lives, he’s risking the remaining hostages,” she said.
