Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reaffirmed that Israel will not agree to a ceasefire, even as reports suggest Hamas may release Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old US-Israeli soldier held in Gaza.
Sources close to Hamas indicated Alexander could be freed Monday or Tuesday, provided conditions on the ground allow safe transfer to the Red Cross. The release is said to precede a visit by US President Donald Trump to the region, amid ongoing direct talks between Hamas and Washington.
Hamas has demanded a halt to Israeli military operations to facilitate Alexander’s release. However, Netanyahu emphasized that Israel has only agreed to a “safe corridor” for the hostage handover—not a ceasefire or release of Palestinian prisoners.
Netanyahu also stated that negotiations to free all hostages would continue even as Israel intensifies its military operations.
President Trump welcomed the potential release as “monumental news” and a “good faith gesture,” expressing hope it could pave the way to ending the conflict.
Egypt and Qatar, alongside the US, have welcomed the development, describing it as a positive step toward renewed negotiations.
Despite this, Israeli airstrikes continued, including one that reportedly killed at least 10 people at a school sheltering displaced residents in Gaza. Since Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack that killed 1,218 people in Israel, 58 hostages remain in Gaza—34 of whom are believed to be dead.
Israel resumed its military campaign in March after ending a two-month ceasefire and has since blocked all humanitarian aid to Gaza to pressure Hamas.
Hamas, which insists on a comprehensive deal to end the war, rejected an Israeli truce proposal last month and has called for a technocratic, independent administration in Gaza as part of any peace framework.
Meanwhile, Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Saar, voiced full support for a US-led aid plan for Gaza, although the initiative has faced criticism for bypassing the United Nations and existing humanitarian agencies.
The death toll in Gaza has now reached 52,829 since the conflict reignited, with 2,720 reported killed since Israel resumed its offensive.
