Hamas says it will release American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander on Monday

By WAFAA SHURAFA SAMY MAGDY and TIA GOLDENBERG Associated Press DEIR AL-BALAH Gaza Strip AP An American-Israeli soldier taken captive and held for more than months in the Gaza Strip is expected to be issued on Monday Hamas commented as part of a goodwill gesture for the Trump administration that could lay the groundwork for a new ceasefire between the warring sides Edan Alexander was snatched from his military base in southern Israel during Hamas cross-border terrorist attack on Oct which set off the war in Gaza His expected release would be the first since Israel shattered an eight-week ceasefire with Hamas in March when it unleashed fierce strikes on Gaza that have killed hundreds Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States Canada and the European Union Israel has also promised to intensify its offensive including by seizing the territory and displacing much of its population again Before the ceasefire s demise Israel blocked all imports from entering the war-ravaged Palestinian enclave deepening a humanitarian dilemma there and sparking warnings of a peril of famine if the blockade isn t lifted Israel says the approaches are meant to pressure Hamas to accept a ceasefire agreement on Israel s terms Israel says that including Alexander hostages remain in captivity about who are disclosed to be alive and the remaining are deceased A large number of of the hostages taken by Hamas-led militants in the attack were freed in ceasefire deals Trump says the expected release is hopefully a step toward ending the war After announcing on Sunday its intention to release Alexander Hamas revealed in a comment on Monday that the handover would occur later in the day Israeli administration did not respond to requests for comment on the timing of the release U S President Donald Trump who is set to arrive in the Middle East on Tuesday on his first official foreign trip stated Sunday that the planned release is a step taken in good faith towards the United States and the efforts of the mediators Qatar and Egypt to put an end to this very brutal war and return ALL living hostages and remains to their loved ones Hopefully this is the first of those final attempts necessary to end this brutal conflict I look very much forward to that day of celebration Trump reported on his social media platform Truth Social Trump who is traveling to Saudi Arabia Qatar and the United Arab Emirates is not scheduled to stop in Israel An Israeli official disclosed that Trump envoy Steve Witkoff was expected in Israel on Monday and would meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu s guard Cabinet to discuss nuclear talks with Iran and efforts to free more hostages The official spoke on condition to of anonymity in line with regulations Alexander s family which is based in the U S was on road to Israel according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum a group representing the captives families Israel says it still plans to escalate its offensive in Gaza On Monday a announcement from Netanyahu s office revealed Alexander s release was expected without indicating timing and that Israel was not granting any concessions for it The comment noted Israel did not commit to a ceasefire or to free Palestinian prisoners as part of the release and that it had only agreed to create a safe corridor to allow for Alexander to be returned The report explained Israel would still carry on with its plans to ramp up its offensive in Gaza despite the expected hostage release Israel says it won t launch that plan until after Trump s visit to the Middle East this week to allow for a foreseen new ceasefire deal to emerge A announcement by the office on Sunday reported the U S had notified Israel that Alexander s release could lead to a new deal with Hamas to free more hostages Netanyahu faces criticism for not freeing all the hostages Israel s exact involvement in getting the release off the ground wasn t right now clear But it created a backlash against Netanyahu with critics accusing him of having to rely on a foreign leader to help free the remaining hostages At the opening of his trial for alleged corruption where he is giving testimony a woman in the courtroom requested whether he was ashamed that the president of the United States is saving his citizens and he is leaving them to die there in captivity Critics accuse Netanyahu of not doing enough to free the hostages saying his insistence on keeping up the war in Gaza is politically motivated Netanyahu says he aims to achieve Israel s twin war goals freeing the hostages and dismantling Hamas-led militants killed people and took captive in the attack Israel s retaliatory offensive has killed over Palestinians various of them women and children according to Gaza s Vitality Ministry which does not say how numerous of the dead were combatants or civilians It obliterated vast swaths of Gaza s urban landscape and displaced of the population often multiple times Magdy published from Cairo and Goldenberg from Tel Aviv Israel Associated Press writer Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv Israel contributed to this review