Photo: Alamy
President Donald Trump announced on Sunday night that Hamas had released the final American.
Edan Alexander, an American-Israeli soldier, was freed after 19 months of captivity that began on Oct. 7, 2023.
“EDAN ALEXANDER, AMERICAN HOSTAGE THOUGHT DEAD, TO BE RELEASED BY HAMAS. GREAT NEWS!” wrote in an all-caps post to Truth Social on Monday morning.
Trump first announced the news in a post on Sunday evening.
“I am happy to announce that Edan Alexander, an American citizen who has been held hostage since October 2023, is coming home to his family. I am grateful to all those involved in making this monumental news happen,” the president stated.
“This was 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 steps necessary to end this brutal conflict. I look very much forward to that day of celebration!” he added.
The release was initially scheduled for March before Hamas broke off the deal. The first American-Israeli hostage held by Hamas in Gaza was released in late January after more than a year in captivity as part of a ceasefire deal with Israel.
Keith Siegel, 65, was taken hostage on Oct. 7, 2023. Others released at the time included French-Israeli citizen Ofer Calderon and Yarden Bibas, the father of the two youngest hostages, Kfir and Ariel Bibas.
Seven American citizens were held hostage in Gaza, with four dying in captivity.
Trump celebrated the release of the first three female hostages the day before his inauguration in a Truth Social post.
“Hostages starting to come out today! Three wonderful young women will be first,” he wrote.
Emily Damari, Romi Gonen and Doron Steinbrecher reunited with their families after being abducted on Oct. 7, 2023, and held for 471 days.
“The three women were the first of the 33 captives expected to be freed during the first phase of the ceasefire agreement with Hamas that went into effect earlier in the day,” JNS reported. “The women were handed over to the Israel Defense Forces by representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross inside the Gaza Strip.”
