Hamas says it will release American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander on Monday

DEIR AL-BALAH Gaza Strip AP An American-Israeli soldier taken captive and held for more than months in the Gaza Strip is expected to be circulated on Monday Hamas declared as part of a goodwill gesture for the Trump administration that could lay the groundwork for a new ceasefire between the warring sides Edan Alexander was snatched from his military base in southern Israel during Hamas cross-border attack on Oct which set off the war in Gaza His expected release would be the first since Israel shattered an eight-week ceasefire with Hamas in March when it unleashed fierce strikes on Gaza that have killed hundreds Israel has also promised to intensify its offensive including by seizing the territory and displacing much of its population again Before the ceasefire s demise Israel blocked all imports from entering the war-ravaged Palestinian enclave deepening a humanitarian predicament there and sparking warnings of a liability of famine if the blockade isn t lifted Israel says the attempts are meant to pressure Hamas to accept a ceasefire agreement on Israel s terms Israel says that including Alexander hostages remain in captivity about who are mentioned to be alive and the remaining are deceased Multiple of the hostages taken by Hamas-led militants in the attack were freed in ceasefire deals Trump says the expected release is hopefully a step toward ending the war After announcing on Sunday its intention to release Alexander Hamas mentioned in a announcement on Monday that the handover would occur later in the day Israeli agents did not respond to requests for comment on the timing of the release U S President Donald Trump who is set to arrive in the Middle East on Tuesday on his first official foreign trip reported Sunday that the planned release is a step taken in good faith towards the United States and the efforts of the mediators Qatar and Egypt to put an end to this very brutal war and return ALL living hostages and remains to their loved ones Hopefully this is the first of those final policies necessary to end this brutal conflict I look very much forward to that day of celebration Trump revealed on his social media platform Truth Social Trump who is traveling to Saudi Arabia Qatar and the United Arab Emirates is not scheduled to stop in Israel An Israeli official explained that Trump envoy Steve Witkoff was expected in Israel on Monday and would meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu s measure Cabinet to discuss nuclear talks with Iran and efforts to free more hostages The official spoke on condition to of anonymity in line with regulations Alexander s family which is based in the U S was on way to Israel according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum a group representing the captives families Israel says it still plans to escalate its offensive in Gaza On Monday a report from Netanyahu s office reported Alexander s release was expected without indicating timing and that Israel was not granting any concessions for it The report reported Israel did not commit to a ceasefire or to free Palestinian prisoners as part of the release and that it had only agreed to create a safe corridor to allow for Alexander to be returned The report declared Israel would still carry on with its plans to ramp up its offensive in Gaza despite the expected hostage release Israel says it won t launch that plan until after Trump s visit to the Middle East this week to allow for a promising new ceasefire deal to emerge A message by the office on Sunday disclosed the U S had informed Israel that Alexander s release could lead to a new deal with Hamas to free more hostages Netanyahu faces criticism for not freeing all the hostages Israel s exact involvement in getting the release off the ground wasn t directly clear But it created a backlash against Netanyahu with critics accusing him of having to rely on a foreign leader to help free the remaining hostages At the opening of his trial for alleged corruption where he is giving testimony a woman in the courtroom requested whether he was ashamed that the president of the United States is saving his citizens and he is leaving them to die there in captivity Critics accuse Netanyahu of not doing enough to free the hostages saying his insistence on keeping up the war in Gaza is politically motivated Netanyahu says he aims to achieve Israel s twin war goals freeing the hostages and dismantling Hamas Hamas-led militants killed people and took captive in the attack Israel s retaliatory offensive has killed over Palestinians various of them women and children according to Gaza s Physical condition Ministry which does not say how numerous of the dead were combatants or civilians It obliterated vast swaths of Gaza s urban landscape and displaced of the population often multiple times