Hamas’ armed wing said on Saturday that they are unaware of the whereabouts of Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander, after discovering that the guard assigned to watch him had been killed.
President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff told reporters at the White House in March that gaining the release of Alexander, believed to be the last living American hostage held by Hamas in Gaza, was a “top priority”.
Alexander, 21, is a New Jersey native and a soldier in the Israeli army.
On Tuesday, Hamas said it had lost contact with a group of militants holding Alexander in Gaza after the Israeli army attacked the place where the militants were holding him.
“The fate of the prisoner and the rest of the captors remains unknown,” said Hamas armed wing Al-Qassam Brigades’ spokesperson Abu Ubaida, blaming Israel for the killing of the guard and the fate of Alexander.
“We are trying to protect all the hostages and preserve their lives … but their lives are in danger because of the criminal bombings by the enemy’s army,” Abu Ubaida said, reiterating an accusation that Israel’s army is to blame for the killing of hostages in the enclave.
Israel has also accused Hamas of killing hostages in its custody. There was no immediate comment by the Israeli army on Hamas’ statement.
The release of Alexander was at the centre of talks held between Hamas leaders and U.S. hostage negotiator Adam Boehler last month.
Hamas released 38 hostages under a brief ceasefire that began on January 19.
Netanyahu Statement
Israel resumed its offensive in Gaza in March after ceasefire talks stalled, with both sides blaming one another for the failure to reach an agreement. The Gaza health ministry said Israeli attacks since then have killed more than 1,600 people.
Israel says its offensive in Gaza aims to release the remaining 59 hostages, while Hamas insists it will free hostages only as part of a deal to end the war and has rejected demands to lay down its arms.
Late on Thursday Khalil Al-Hayya, Hamas’ Gaza chief, said the movement was willing to swap all remaining 59 hostages for Palestinians jailed in Israel in return for an end to the war and reconstruction of Gaza.
But he dismissed an Israeli offer, which includes a demand that Hamas lay down its arms, as imposing “impossible conditions”.
Israel has not responded formally to Al-Hayya’s comments, but ministers have said repeatedly that Hamas must be disarmed completely and can play no role in the future governance of Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to give a statement later on Saturday.
Hamas on Saturday also released an undated and edited video of Israeli hostage Elkana Bohbot. Hamas has released several videos over the course of the war of hostages begging to be released. Israeli officials have dismissed past videos as propaganda.
Meanwhile, Palestinian local health authorities said Israeli military strikes have killed at least 92 people across the Gaza Strip in the past 48 hours.
The war was triggered by Hamas’ October 7 attack on southern Israel in 2023, in which 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.
Since then, more than 51,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli offensive, according to local health authorities.
(With inputs from Reuters)
