Hamas Released This Israeli-American Soldier As A "Goodwill Gesture" To Resume Ceasefire Negotiations
Hamas said the release was intended as a “goodwill gesture” and as part of efforts to reach a new ceasefire deal.
Hamas has released an Israeli-American soldier who was held in Gaza as a “goodwill gesture” to resume the ceasefire negotiations and end Israel’s over 2-month blockade on the Gaza Strip.
21-year-old Eden Alexander is the first hostage released since Israel unilaterally ended the ceasefire on March 18, launching massive attacks across the Strip and killing more than 400 people in under 24 hours while also blocking all humanitarian aid from entering Gaza since March 2.
Video shared by Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu showed Alexander reuniting with his family in Israel on Monday, May 12.
Alexander was handed over to officials from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, who then transferred him to Israeli military authorities.
Hamas said the release was intended as a “goodwill gesture” and as part of efforts to reach a new ceasefire deal ahead of US President Donald Trump's visit to the Middle East on Tuesday, May 13, according to the BBC.
Netanyahu said Alexander's release was “a very emotional moment” that happened thanks to Israel and Trump's military and diplomatic pressure.
Trump welcomed the release, calling it a "step taken in good faith” to put an end to the war in Gaza.
Hamas has said before that it is ready to release all the remaining hostages in exchange for a permanent ceasefire to end Israel’s genocide in Gaza and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
However, Netanyahu said there will be no ceasefire and that plans to intensify military action in Gaza continue, after it launched a new plan to indefinitely occupy the Gaza Strip and forcibly move Palestinians to the south, according to Reuters.
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Cherry Mohamed
Cherry Mohamed
