Updated May 12, 2025 at 12:05 PM MDT
TEL AVIV, Israel — Hamas has released U.S.-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander, according to a statement by Hamas and an Israeli official who spoke to NPR on condition of anonymity because the official was unauthorized to speak publicly.
On Sunday, Hamas said his release would be a step toward reaching a ceasefire agreement with Israel after it had been holding talks with the U.S. for the last several days.
Alexander, a 21-year-old Israeli soldier raised in New Jersey, is believed to be the last living U.S. citizen who had been held in Gaza by Hamas since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. The bodies of four other Americans are still held in Gaza, according to the U.S.
President Trump posted on his social media platform that the release is a "step taken in good faith" to put an end to the war.
Hamas said the release was part of a ceasefire effort to open Gaza's border crossings and bring aid to Gaza. Israel has blocked all aid including food and medical supplies for more than 10 weeks to pressure Hamas to release more hostages. Humanitarian groups say it is driving rampant hunger in the territory.
A Hamas official says the U.S. has made promises in return for hostage release
A Hamas official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly, told NPR that the release was in return for unspecified gestures the U.S. promised.
The official hinted Hamas anticipated Israel would release some Palestinian prisoners and ensure some aid into Gaza, and expected the U.S. to negotiate a broader deal with Israel that guarantees the end of the war.
"The ball is now in the American and Israeli court. We gave the Americans what they asked for. They need to get the other side to give things too," the Hamas official said.
Israel denies it must offer concessions in exchange for hostage release
A statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office on Monday said that Alexander's release "without anything in return" is thanks to President Trump's diplomacy and the Israeli military's pressure in Gaza.
The statement said Israel has not agreed to a ceasefire in exchange for Alexander's release.
Supporters of the hostages expressed frustration that the Israeli leadership has not achieved their freedom while the U.S. struck its own deal with Hamas for the release of a U.S. citizen.
"Trump is doing a great job in maintaining and continuing to get these hostages back, and I am not sure what our government is doing to ensure the release of the hostages," said Maya Weinrich, a 27-year-old medical student and dual U.S.-Israeli citizen.
Palestinians in Gaza praised President Trump
In Gaza City, Palestinian resident Awni Abu Kumail said he understands why Hamas agreed to release Alexander.
"Hamas wants to prove to the U.S. that it isn't the one holding up the ceasefire talks," Abu Kumail said.
"Trump has shown Israel that the United States is stronger," said resident Ahmed Abu Hadid in Gaza City. "Without the U.S. there would never be any solutions."
Hostage release deal is latest U.S. sidestep of Israel
Alexander's release comes as Trump heads to visit Gulf countries on Monday, in his first overseas trip during his second term. He is not expected to visit Israel, but is expected to discuss the future of Gaza with Arab leaders.
Netanyahu met with the U.S. president's special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. The prime minister's office said that an Israeli negotiations team will leave for Doha on Tuesday.
The U.S.-Hamas deal is the latest in a series of major decisions Trump has made in the Middle East while sidestepping Israel's leadership. Those moves include U.S. nuclear talks with Iran, a truce with the Houthis in Yemen that did not guarantee the end of Houthi missile attacks on Israel, and U.S. talks for a Saudi civilian nuclear program that would not be conditioned on Saudi Arabia establishing diplomatic ties with Israel in return.
Earlier this year, both Hamas and the U.S. confirmed that the two parties had been holding direct talks starting as early as January — in a major shift in American policy, as the U.S. had not engaged directly with Hamas since it designated it a terrorist organization in 1997. It has been a long-standing U.S. policy not to negotiate with groups it designates as terrorists.
Qatar and Egypt — two countries that have played key roles in negotiation efforts between Israel and Hamas throughout the war, along with the U.S. — issued a joint announcement welcoming Alexander's release, calling it an "encouraging step" toward a ceasefire in Gaza.
Scores of other hostages remain in Hamas captivity as Israel wages war
There are 59 hostages remaining in Gaza, including Alexander, more than half of whom are believed to be dead, according to Israel. Hamas had released 38 hostages in exchange for thousands of Palestinian prisoners and detainees held by Israel under a ceasefire deal that began on Jan. 19. But Israel's military broke that ceasefire in March, after negotiations between the two parties failed to produce an extension of the truce.
Israel has since gained control of about a third of Gaza's territory, and has imposed a complete blockade on all aid including food and fuel, while continuing a deadly and destructive air campaign. Earlier this month it said it planned to expand its offensive there.
Gaza health authorities say more than 52,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli attacks on the territory since the start of the war in October 2023. About 1,200 people in Israel were killed in the Hamas-led attacks that month and some 250 people were taken hostage, according to Israel.
Daniel Estrin, Itay Stern and Carrie Kahn contributed to this report from Tel Aviv, Anas Baba from Gaza City, and Abu Bakr Bashir from London.
Copyright 2025 NPR
