Hamas says it will release American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander as part of ceasefire efforts today
Hamas has said it will release Edan Alexander, an Israeli soldier who holds American citizenship.
The group announced on Sunday that the 21-year-old, who is believed to be the last living American hostage in Gaza, will be released as part of ongoing efforts to achieve a permanent ceasefire with Israel.
Hamas, the militant group with which Israel has been at war since 7 October 2023, said Mr Alexander would be released on Monday.
The group said in a statement: “Hamas has been in contact with the US administration over the past few days.
“The movement has expressed a high degree of positivity, and the release of Israeli soldier Edan Alexander, a dual US citizen, will be part of the steps being taken to achieve a ceasefire, open the crossings, and allow aid and relief to reach our people in the Gaza Strip.”
Donald Trump posing for photos with family members of Edan Alexander in New York last year. File pic: AP
Mr Alexander, who is from the US state of New Jersey, was 19 when he was taken from his base on the border with Gaza in southern Israel during the Hamas attacks on 7 October 2023.
His expected release has been described as a “gesture of goodwill” by Steve Witkoff, Mr Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, who has been heavily involved in peace talks between Hamas and Israel.
He confirmed to Sky News’ US partner network NBC News that he is travelling to Israel to secure Mr Alexander’s release.
“We are picking him up probably tomorrow,” Mr Witkoff said. “There was a long negotiation with lots of people to thank.”
The Hostages Families Forum said it is “embracing and supporting” Mr Alexander’s family. It said his release should “mark the beginning of a comprehensive agreement that will secure the freedom of all remaining hostages”.
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From 7 May: Israeli military strikes kill dozens in Gaza
US special envoy Adam Boehler described the announcement as a “positive step forward” adding that the US would encourage Hamas to also “release the bodies of four other Americans that were taken”.
The announcement was made hours after a senior Palestinian official told Reuters that the US administration was involved in wider talks with Hamas alongside Egypt and Qatar in a “pursuit of an agreement”.
Mr Trump is also set to travel to the Middle East later this week, visiting Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. The four-day trip is expected to focus heavily on business deals and new investments.
‘A goodwill gesture’
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was told by the US that Mr Alexander’s release was “a goodwill gesture toward the Americans without compensation or conditions”.
It said the US told Israel the move is expected to lead to negotiations for the release of hostages, according to the original “Witkoff framework” – which Israel has already accepted.
The “Witkoff framework” was proposed in March. It involves Hamas releasing half of its remaining hostages – the militant group’s main bargaining chip – in exchange for a ceasefire extension and a promise to negotiate a lasting truce.
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Hamas has always refused to accept the deal. It said it is willing to free all remaining hostages and agree to a permanent ceasefire if Israel pulls out completely from Gaza.
Around 59 hostages are still inside Gaza, around a third of them believed to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals.
Donald Trump has waded into the debate surrounding Sydney Sweeney’s jeans ad.
The American Eagle ad, which features the 27-year-old actress, who starred in the HBO series Euphoria and White Lotus, has the tagline “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans”.
It has sparked a debate in the US over race and Western beauty standards.
One of the Sydney Sweeney jeans ads. Pic: AP
In a Truth Social post, the US president described it as the “hottest ad out there”.
Hailing Sweeney as a “registered Republican”, he said the jeans are “flying off the shelves”, adding: “Go get ’em Sydney!”
Most of the criticism of the ad has centred on videos using the word “genes” instead of “jeans”, with one in which Sweeney says: “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair colour, personality and even eye colour. My jeans are blue.”
Critics argued the play on words potentially promotes eugenics, a discredited theory that believed humanity could be improved through the selective breeding of certain traits.
But others have defended the ad, saying the critics are reading too much into its message.
The video appeared on American Eagle’s Facebook page and other social media channels, but is not part of the ad campaign.
In a statement on Instagram on Friday, American Eagle Outfitters said the campaign “is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story. We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.”
Stocks in American Eagle Outfitters jumped by 23.3% after Mr Trump’s intervention.
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In his Truth Social post, which he reposted three times to fix various typos, Mr Trump compared the ad with “woke” ones “on the other side of the ledger” – as he criticised other companies, as well as hitting out at Taylor Swift.
“The tide has seriously turned – Being WOKE is for losers, being Republican is what you want to be,” he wrote.
Sky News has contacted Sweeney’s agent for comment.
Police in Tennessee have discovered 14 improvised explosive devices in a man’s home as they were arresting him, the local sheriff’s office said.
Officers were executing a warrant in the home of Kevin Wade O’Neal in Old Fort, about 45 miles (70km) east of Chattanooga, after he had threatened to kill public officials and law enforcement personnel in Polk County.
After arresting the 54-year-old, officers noticed “something smouldering” in the bedroom where he was found.
Kevin Wade O’Neal. Pic: Polk County Sheriff’s Office
On closer inspection, they discovered an improvised explosive device and evacuated the house until bomb squad officers arrived at the scene.
Fourteen devices were found inside the property – none of which detonated.
Improvised explosive devices were found in Kevin Wade O’Neal’s home. Pic: Polk County Sheriff’s Office
Kevin Wade O’Neal’s home in Old Fort, Tennessee. Pic: Polk County Sheriff’s Office
O’Neal was charged with 11 counts of attempted first-degree murder, corresponding to nine officers and two other people inside the property when the suspect tried to detonate the devices.
He also faces 14 counts of prohibited weapons and one count of possession of explosive components.
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O’Neal is being held at the Polk County jail and his bond is yet to be determined.
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