Alexander, believed to have been the last living American citizen held in the Strip, is the first male IDF soldier taken on Oct. 7, 2023, to be freed. He spent 584 days in captivity.

Israel Defense Forces soldier and dual U.S.-Israeli citizen Edan Alexander was freed by Hamas in the Gaza Strip on Monday, after 584 days in captivity.

“According to information provided by the Red Cross, the hostage has been handed over to them and they are making their way to the IDF force in the Gaza Strip,” the IDF confirmed in a statement.

The handover reportedly took place in the Khan Yunis area of southern Gaza and was carried out by terrorists from Hamas’s “Shadow Unit.”

Edan Alexander is in a Red Cross vehicle and on his way to Israel pic.twitter.com/kf9e2Llpy0

— Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) May 12, 2025

Alexander, a native of New Jersey, was taken hostage during Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel’s south, in which Palestinian terrorists murdered some 1,200 people and abducted 251.

After being transferred to the International Committee of the Red Cross by Hamas, Alexander was set to be brought to IDF special forces inside Gaza, and from there to the Re’im military base in Israeli territory.

At the IDF facility near Re’im, he will receive an initial physical and mental exam and meet with members of his family, who traveled to Israel from the United States for the occasion. He will then be airlifted by military helicopter to Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov Hospital).

Alexander’s parents confirmed that that he may travel to Qatar for a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, who is scheduled to visit the Gulf nation this week as part of his Middle East tour. However, the family emphasized the trip would depend on his medical condition.

The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said earlier on Monday that Jerusalem had not committed to “any ceasefire or the release of terrorists—only to a safe corridor that will allow for Edan’s release.”

However, some IDF forces in Gaza were reportedly ordered to hold fire during Alexander’s release to allow his safe passage. The army was also said to have paused intelligence-gathering operations in Gaza.

Alexander, believed to have been the last living American citizen held in the Strip, is the first male IDF soldier taken on Oct. 7 to be freed.

Following Alexander’s release, 58 abductees remain captive in Gaza, according to official Israeli military figures, including the remains of four deceased Americans.

Jerusalem believes that up to 23 hostages are still alive, with heavy question marks over the fate of one Israeli and two foreign nationals.

Hamas’s announcement on Sunday night that it would free Alexander came following talks with the Trump administration’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff. The terrorist group said his release was “part of the steps being taken to achieve a truce, open the [border]crossings, and allow aid and relief to reach our people in Gaza.”

Trump wrote on his Truth Social site on Monday morning, in all caps: “Edan Alexander, American hostage thought dead, to be released by Hamas. Great news!”

Ahead of a Cabinet meeting on Sunday, which came after the Jewish state’s security services returned the body of an IDF soldier who had been missing since the 1982 First Lebanon War, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to return all hostages and missing people.

“It isn’t just lip service—it’s a massive effort by all Israeli security and intelligence agencies,” the premier declared in his remarks.

Netanyahu met with Witkoff and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee ahead of Alexander’s release on Monday night. The Israeli leader then spoke to Trump, whom he thanked for the release of the hostage.

Trump president reiterated his commitment to Israel and his desire to continue close cooperation with the prime minister, according to a readout published by the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem.

In his meeting with Witkoff and Huckabee, Netanyahu discussed last-ditch effort to implement a final draft agreement for the release of the remaining hostages before the IDF steps up its offensive in the Strip.

The premier instructed that a delegation be sent to Doha on Tuesday. Netanyahu stressed that the fighting would continue during the talks.