Hamas will not release the last living American hostage it kidnapped during the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack, 21-year-old Edan Alexander, unless Israel adheres to a ceasefire agreement. The terrorist organization agreed on Friday to release Alexander along with the bodies of four dead hostages,

Hamas said it is prepared to release American-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander and the bodies of four dual nationals held hostage in Gaza.

Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the world’s largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. Reuters provides business, financial, national and international news to professionals via desktop terminals, the world's media organizations, industry events and directly to consumers.

Hamas on Saturday said it will only release an American-Israeli and the bodies of four other hostages if Israel implements their ceasefire agreement, calling it an “exceptional deal” aimed at getting the truce back on track.

Hamas says it has accepted a proposal from mediators to release a living American Israeli hostage and the bodies of four dual nationals. Israel expresses immediate doubt.

The White House called on the militants to accept a U.S. proposal to release all living hostages in exchange for extending the cease-fire to late April.

As Hamas on Friday offered to release American Israeli soldier Edan Alexander and the remains of four other hostages held in Gaza, Israel's prime minister called it psychological manipulation.

Steven Witkoff, Trump's Middle East envoy, called Hamas' response to a hostage and ceasefire proposal 'impractical.'

The offer picks up on a key Trump administration goal to try to push Israel into talks on a permanent end to the conflict.

Hamas Keeps Israel Waiting After Trump Envoy Floats New Gaza Truce Plan \| 10 Dead Hostages For... Posted: 14 March 2025 \. More for