Hamas to release last living U.S. hostage

The Palestinian militant group says Edan Alexander will be freed
in Gaza as part of efforts to establish a ceasefire and reopen
crossings into the Israeli-blockaded territory


Edan Alexander, 21, (above) is one
of at least 59 hostages in Gaza –
about 24 of them are said to be alive


HOSTAGE CRISIS TIMELINE

Oct 7, 2023: Hamas-led militants
attack southern Israel, killing 1,200
people and taking 251 hostages

Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu (right)
says Israel is at
war. Retaliatory
airstrikes on
Gaza begin,
along with siege
of coastal enclave

Oct 27: Israel launches ground
offensive in Gaza, vowing to free
hostages and eradicate Hamas

Nov 24-30: Temporary truce sees
Hamas release 105 hostages in
exchange for 240 Palestinian
prisoners held by Israel

Dec 15: Israeli forces mistakenly
kill three hostages in Gaza. Incident
prompts strong criticism within
Israel about conduct of war

Feb-Aug 2024: Israeli troops
rescue seven hostages in raids
in central and southern Gaza

Aug 31: Israel discovers bodies
of six slain hostages in Hamas
tunnel in southern Gaza. Deaths
spark mass protests in Israel
demanding government enter
hostage deal with Hamas

Dec 2: U.S.
President-elect
Donald Trump
(right) says
there will be
”hell to pay” if
hostages are not
freed before his
Jan 20 inauguration

Jan 19, 2025: 42-day ceasefire
between Israel and Hamas comes
into effect

Ceasefire sees 33 Israeli and five
Thai hostages freed in return for
1,900 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli
jails. Israel pulls out troops from
populated areas of Gaza and
allows in hundreds of aid trucks
per day

Mar 2: Israel blocks aid entry
after Hamas refuses to accept U.S.
proposal to extend ceasefire

Mar 18: Israel renews military
action in Gaza, shattering ceasefire

May 11: Hamas says it will free
U.S.-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander.
Announcement precedes visit by
Trump to Middle East


Sources: AP, BBC, Reuters 
Pictures: Getty Images 
© GRAPHIC NEWS