Edan Alexander, the last known living American hostage held in Gaza, has been released by Hamas.
Alexander, who was captured by Hamas during the October 7 terror attacks, was handed over to the Red Cross in Khan Younis on Monday as part of efforts to re-establish ceasefire talks.
His release is seen as a gesture from the militant group toward Donald Trump ahead of the U.S. president’s Middle East visit this week, where the Israel-Hamas war is expected to be a major focus of discussions.
This is the first handover of any hostage from the Gaza Strip since March when the first phase of the latest ceasefire came to an end, followed by Israel’s breaking of the ceasefire on March 18 with heavy airstrikes.
Alongside ongoing military operations in the territory, Israel has imposed a near-total blockade on Gaza Humanitarian aid has been unable to reach Palestinians for nearly eight weeks and international organisations have called for an end to Israel’s blockade.
Dr Saeed Salah, medical director of the Patients Friends Benevolent Society Hospital in Gaza, warned that the hospital was facing a crisis with fuel, oxygen and equipment shortages, putting several critical patients at risk.
“The war must end now, and humanitarian and medical aid must be allowed into Gaza before more lives are lost,” he said in a statement to Medical Aid for Palestinians on May 12.
On May 5, Israel announced that it would significantly expand its military operations in Gaza, with the ultimate goal of occupying the entire strip indefinitely.
Read more: ‘No One’s Coming’: Inside Gaza as Israel Expands Its Military Control
As part of the operation, Israel plans to establish a new process for aid distribution through approved bodies in designated areas.
This has been criticized by international organizations, including The UN Humanitarian Country Team in the Occupied Palestinian Territory which said: “ [The plan] contravenes fundamental humanitarian principles and appears designed to reinforce control over life-sustaining items as a pressure tactic – as part of a military strategy. It is dangerous, driving civilians into militarized zones to collect rations.”
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