Hamas officially announced on Monday that Israeli hostage Edan Alexander will be released today. Military sources confirmed that "the IDF is prepared for his transfer." Alexander is expected to first arrive at the Re'im base and will then be taken to Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv for further medical evaluation and treatment.
The official statement by the spokesman for the Al-Qassam Brigades, Abu Obeida, was released on his Telegram channel following a string of overnight reports in Arab media that Alexander would be released at 12:00 p.m. Monday. A Saudi outlet reported that the handover to the Red Cross would be conducted without a large-scale propaganda event, unlike previous hostage releases.
Meanwhile, US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to arrive in Israel today to explore the possibility of expanding the current release deal, potentially paving the way for the release of additional hostages. A senior Hamas figure told the Associated Press that Hamas was advised "to give President Trump a gift, and he will give them a bigger one in return." An Egyptian official noted that Hamas had received assurances through Egyptian and Qatari mediators that Alexander's release "puts all issues on the table," including a potential end to the war.
A US official said that if a deal is reached for a long-term ceasefire and negotiations to end the war, President Donald Trump may consider visiting Israel before Saudi Arabia. The intent is to hold a joint photo opportunity with the freed hostage and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
