According to Reuters, the Palestinian armed group Hamas released Ethan Alexander, a 21-year-old dual U.S.-Israeli national hostage, on the afternoon of the 12th (local time).
Hamas announced Alexander's release through a statement, saying, "We were able to achieve the result of releasing the hostage through serious and responsible negotiations."
The Israel Defense Forces confirmed that one hostage was handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and was in transit to an Israeli military position in the Gaza Strip.
Alexander is one of 251 hostages taken when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. At the time, he was serving in an infantry unit near the Gaza Strip border as part of the Israel Defense Forces. Alexander, originally from New Jersey, is known to be the last surviving U.S. national held in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas's release comes ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump's Middle East tour. Hamas stated, "We hope the Trump administration continues its efforts to end this brutal war."