Israeli-American soldier Edan Alexander reunited with his family in Israel as he was released by the Palestinian militant group Hamas after more than 580 days under their custody.
The Israeli army has said Alexander was heading to a Tel Aviv hospital to undergo medical examination.
“The returning hostage, IDF (army) soldier Edan Alexander, accompanied by members of his family, is currently making his way on an Israeli Air Force helicopter to the hospital, where he will be reunited with other members of his family and will receive medical treatment,” the military said in a statement.
Alexander’s extended family members, wearing shirts emblazoned with his name, gathered in the Israeli capital, Tel Aviv, to watch his release, which was facilitated by the Red Cross. He was later handed over to the Israeli forces.
All of his kin chanted his name when Israel announced that he was free. Alexander’s grandmother, Varda Ben Baruch, told AP that her grandson looked pale but mostly OK. “He seemed like a man. He has really matured,” she said. Reports that Alexander cracked a joke on the phone while speaking to his mother for the first time did not surprise her. “He’s got such a sense of humor,” she said.
Watch the emotional reunion here
A senior Hamas official told Reuters that the release is part of efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement with Israel and allow humanitarian aid to enter the war-ravaged Gaza strip.
Exiled Gaza Hamas chief, Khalil al-Hayya, said efforts to facilitate his release were jointly carried out by Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey. “The movement affirms its readiness to immediately start intensive negotiations and make serious efforts to reach a final agreement to end the war, exchange prisoners in an agreed-upon manner,” he added.
Trump, who will visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, said the release was a step taken in good faith “to put an end to this very brutal war and return ALL living hostages and remains to their loved ones.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said he discussed efforts to release the remaining hostages with the US and emphasised that “negotiations would only take place under fire.”
A statement from Netanyahu’s office said the prime minister had directed that a negotiation team leave for Doha on Wednesday to intensify efforts to secure the remaining hostages.
Israel has vowed to continue its war until Hamas releases the remaining 59 hostages and Gaza is demilitarised. The militant group has offered to release all remaining hostages if Israel pulls out completely from Gaza and has rejected demands to lay down its arms.
