Hamas says it will release American-Israeli hostage as part of ceasefire efforts today

Hamas has said it will release Edan Alexander, an Israeli soldier who holds American citizenship.

The group announced on Sunday that the 21-year-old, who is believed to be the last living American hostage in Gaza, will be released as part of ongoing efforts to achieve a permanent ceasefire with Israel. Hamas, the militant group with which Israel has been at war since 7 October 2023, said Mr Alexander would be released on Monday.

The group said in a statement: "Hamas has been in contact with the US administration over the past few days. "The movement has expressed a high degree of positivity, and the release of Israeli soldier Edan Alexander, a dual US citizen, will be part of the steps being taken to achieve a ceasefire, open the crossings, and allow aid and relief to reach our people in the Gaza Strip." Mr Alexander, who is from the US state of New Jersey, was 19 when he was taken from his base on the border with Gaza in southern Israel during the Hamas attacks on 7 October 2023.

His expected release has been described as a "gesture of goodwill" by Steve Witkoff, Mr Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, who has been heavily involved in peace talks between Hamas and Israel. He confirmed to Sky News' US partner network NBC News that he is travelling to Israel to secure Mr Alexander's release.

"We are picking him up probably tomorrow," Mr Witkoff said. "There was a long negotiation with lots of people to thank." The Hostages Families Forum said it is "embracing and supporting" Mr Alexander's family.

It said his release should "mark the beginning of a comprehensive agreement that will secure the freedom of all remaining hostages". US special envoy Adam Boehler described the announcement as a "positive step forward" adding that the US would encourage Hamas to also "release the bodies of four other Americans that were taken".

The announcement was made hours after a senior Palestinian official told Reuters that the US administration was involved in wider talks with Hamas alongside Egypt and Qatar in a "pursuit of an agreement". Mr Trump is also set to travel to the Middle East later this week, visiting Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

The four-day trip is expected to focus heavily on business deals and new investments. 'A goodwill gesture' The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was told by the US that Mr Alexander's release was "a goodwill gesture toward the Americans without compensation or conditions".

It said the US told Israel the move is expected to lead to negotiations for the release of hostages, according to the original "Witkoff framework" - which Israel has already accepted. The "Witkoff framework" was proposed in March.

It involves Hamas releasing half of its remaining hostages - the militant group's main bargaining chip - in exchange for a ceasefire extension and a promise to negotiate a lasting truce. Read more from Sky News:What could Israel's plan for Gaza be?Israeli embassy in London 'was target of alleged terror plot' Hamas has always refused to accept the deal.

It said it is willing to free all remaining hostages and agree to a permanent ceasefire if Israel pulls out completely from Gaza. Around 59 hostages are still inside Gaza, around a third of them believed to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals..