Hamas said Monday that its armed wing had released a US-Israeli hostage, with a source close to the Islamist movement adding that Edan Alexander was handed over to the Red Cross in the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis.
鈥楾he (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 ceasefire,鈥� Hamas said in a statement.
It comes a day after Hamas revealed it was engaged in direct talks with Washington towards a ceasefire.
Hamas called on US president Donald Trump鈥檚 administration to 鈥榗ontinue its efforts鈥� to end the war in Gaza, after the militant group said it handed over US-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander.
鈥榃e affirm that serious and responsible negotiations yield results in the release of prisoners鈥� and 鈥榰rge president Trump鈥檚 administration to continue its efforts to end this brutal war鈥�, Hamas said in a statement.
Trump left for Saudi Arabia Monday, on what he called a 鈥榟istoric鈥� tour of the Middle East that will mix urgent diplomacy on Gaza and Iran with huge business deals.
Speaking in a press conference around 1415 GMT, Trump said 鈥楾hey鈥檙e going to be releasing Edan in about two hours from now or sometime today鈥�.
Gaza鈥檚 civil defence agency said Monday 鈥榓t least 10鈥� people were killed, including children and women, in an overnight Israeli airstrike on a school housing displaced people.
鈥楢t least 10 dead, including several women and children, as well as dozens of wounded, were transported following an Israeli airstrike on the Fatima Bint Asad school, which is home to more than 2,000 displaced people in the city of Jabalia,鈥� civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal said.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Trump 鈥榝or his assistance in the release鈥� of Alexander, a statement from his office said.
Netanyahu also said he had instructed a negotiating team to head to Qatar on Tuesday to discuss the release of hostages.
The Israeli prime minister had earlier said that 鈥業srael has not committed to a ceasefire of any kind or the release of terrorists but only to a safe corridor that will allow for the release of Edan鈥�.
Negotiations for a possible deal to secure the release of all hostages would continue 鈥榰nder fire, during preparations for an intensification of the fighting鈥�, Netanyahu added.
The UN and NGO-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification warned that Gaza was at 鈥榗ritical risk of famine鈥�, with 22 per cent of the population facing an imminent humanitarian 鈥榗atastrophe鈥� after more than two months of a total aid blockade by Israel.
Egypt and Qatar, who along with the United States have mediated talks between Hamas and Israel, also welcomed the development, describing it in a joint statement as 鈥榓 gesture of goodwill and an encouraging step toward a return to the negotiating table鈥�.
Earlier, two Hamas officials said that talks were on-going in Doha with the United States and reported 鈥榩rogress鈥�.
Of the 251 hostages seized during Hamas鈥檚 October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, 58 are still held in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.
Israel ended a two-month ceasefire on March 18, ramping up its bombardment of the territory.
Earlier this month, the Israeli government approved plans to expand its Gaza offensive, with officials talking of retaining a long-term presence there.
Hamas鈥檚 2023 attack on southern Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said on Monday that at least 2,749 people have been killed since Israel resumed its campaign, bringing the overall death toll since the war broke out to 52,862.
