Washington D.C. – Axios, March 14, 2025
Hamas said on Friday it agreed to release Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander, 21, and return the bodies of four other American-Israeli hostages.
Why it matters: Hamas’ statement didn’t make clear what the group demands in return for releasing the five remaining American hostages.
– Hamas would likely demand Israel release Palestinian prisoners and extend the Gaza ceasefire.
– Israeli negotiators will leave Doha on Friday and return to Israel after five days of talks that didn’t lead to a breakthrough, an Israeli official said.
What they are saying: Hamas said in its statement that it met on Thursday with the Qatari and Egyptian mediators and received a proposal for extending the Gaza ceasefire.
– “We handled this proposal with responsibility and a positive approach and responded on Friday. We are ready to start negotiations on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal and we call for pressing Israel to implement its commitments,” Hamas said.
