The agreement to release Edan Alexander came after talks between Washington and Hamas that did not include Israel.

A senior Hamas official tells Newsweek that the Palestinian militant group saw "positive" potential in signs of a growing rift between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after offering the U.S. leader a political win in the form of an American hostage release ahead of his Middle East trip.

Both Al Jazeera and Reuters are reporting that Hamas and the US are directly discussing a ceasefire and the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Hamas released Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old New Jersey-born IDF soldier who was captured during the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel. Alexander was handed over to the Red Cross, which transferred him to the Israeli military.

Gaza City (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) – Hamas said it would release a US-Israeli hostage held in Gaza as the group revealed it was engaged in direct talks with the United States towards a ceasefire in the war-battered territory. "Israeli soldier Edan ...

If there is to be a breakthrough in ceasefire talks, it will require the US president to change his position and put pressure on Israel.