After 584 days in Hamas captivity, kidnapped soldier Edan Alexander could arrive in Qatar right after his release, depending on his condition, his family said.
Both President Donald Trump and Hamas confirmed his release was to take place on Monday, and his parents arrived at Ben Gurion Airport from the US in the afternoon.
A security official reported that a military helicopter carrying Edan's mother, Yael, along with several other figures, took off from the airport minutes after landing, heading to a reception facility near Kibbutz Re'im in the Gaza border region, where Edan is expected to arrive after linking up with Israeli forces in Gaza.
As his return neared, hundreds marched from Tel Aviv's Hostages Square to the US Embassy Branch Office on the beach, demanding a breakthrough in negotiations to free all 59 remaining hostages.
Edan's family confirmed that after his release that he may travel to Qatar to meet US President Donald Trump, who will arrive in the Gulf nation on the first day of his regional tour. However, they stressed this depended on his medical condition. President Trump wrote on his social media platform TruthSocial, "We thought he was dead – and he will be released. This is great news."
Israel estimates Edan will likely be released in the evening, between 6:00 and 6:30 p.m., and handed over to Red Cross personnel in Khan Younis.
Edan, a 21-year-old Golani fighter kidnapped from an IDF base in the Gaza border region, is a lone soldier and US citizen raised in New Jersey. On October 7, he volunteered to stay with his comrades at the base. His release is a gesture by Hamas tied to US President Donald Trump's Middle East visit, in an agreement made without involvement from Israel's government.
Hamas's military wing officially announced that Edan Alexander will be released Monday from Khan Younis, though no exact time was specified. Israel estimates the release will occur in the evening, between 6:00 and 6:30 p.m., with Edan handed over to Red Cross personnel before linking up with IDF forces. An IDF spokesperson stated that forces are preparing for the transfer and return of Edan from Khan Younis starting at 6:30 p.m., though the timing may shift. A senior Hamas official told Al0Jazeera that the release was coordinated with the Red Cross, while an Egyptian source told Qatari media that a Mossad delegation is expected in Cairo tonight to discuss details of a broader hostage deal.
