Summary
- Hamas also says the release is intended to facilitate an aid deal – Gaza has been under an Israeli blockade for more than two months
- Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander has been handed to the Red Cross in Gaza
- Alexander, 21, was serving in an elite infantry unit on the border with Gaza when he was captured by Hamas during the 7 October attacks
- Of the 251 hostages, 59 remain in Gaza, up to 24 of whom are believed to be alive
- Israel says there will be “a safe corridor” in Gaza for Alexander’s release, but has not committed to a ceasefire
- President Donald Trump’s visit to the Middle East begins on Tuesday – he calls Alexander’s scheduled release “great news”
- A senior Palestinian official tells the BBC the Hamas announcement is intended as a goodwill gesture before Trump’s arrival
Trump’s special envoy touches down in Israel
Moments before the Red Cross confirmed the start of the handover of Edan Alexander, photos showing US special envoy Steve Witkoff disembarking a helicopter in Israel were shared with us.
The Reuters news agency – which supplied the images – says he’s in Re’im, in south of the country, which is located near Gaza. It’s also where we expect Alexander to receive initial medical care before reuniting with his family.
Hostage with Red Cross and making way to Israeli military – IDF
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has confirmed one hostage has been transferred to the Red Cross, citing information received from the aid organisation.
They are now on their way towards IDF forces in the Gaza Strip, it adds.
Israel confirms Alexander handover has begun
An Israeli official has confirmed that the handover of Edan Alexander from Hamas to the Red Cross has begun.
Crowd gathered in Tel Aviv anticipates return
A crowd has gathered to watch a television live stream following Edan Alexander’s release, in Hostage Square, Tel Aviv.People can be seen waving flags and signs calling for him to be brought home.
Image source,EPA
What we expect to happen with the handover
With Hamas reporting the handover of hostage Edan Alexander to the Red Cross – here’s a quick look at how the Israeli side say today’s release will unfold:
- It will follow the same procedure as previous hostage returns: Alexander will be handed from Hamas, to the Red Cross, to a special Israeli military unit
- Alexander will be transferred by a special unit to Re’im military base in Israel, where he will receive initial medical and psychological care, before reuniting with his family
- Alexander and his family will then be airlifted together to hospital in Tel Aviv
- We are not expecting a public handover, as happened with some hostage handovers in Gaza. Israel says it will only release footage with the Alexander family’s consent.
You can follow along by pressing watch live at the top of the page.
Hamas says Edan Alexander handed over to Red Cross
Hamas says it has handed over Edan Alexander to the Red Cross.
He will now be transferred out of Gaza and given to the Israeli military.
Handover to Red Cross to happen shortly – Israeli official
An Israeli official says that the Red Cross has now arrived at the handover location in Khan Younis – a city in the south of Gaza.
They add that that the handover of Edan Alexander from Hamas to the Red Cross will happen shortly.
Red Cross on way to collect Edan Alexander, Israel says
The Red Cross is on the way to the handover point in Khan Younis to collect Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander, according to an Israeli official.
Crowds – and family – wait for the return of Edan Alexander
As we’ve just reported, Edan Alexander is now due to be released this evening. Reports in Israel suggest it could be at 18:30 local time (16:30 BST).
For now, we’re pausing our live coverage – but we’ll resume once we get news of Alexander’s release.
Hostage return due to ‘military pressure’ – Israeli spokesman
Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer says the scheduled release of Edan Alexander is due to “relentless military pressure exerted by our brave IDF forces”.
As we just reported, he says the “latest information” is that “Edan is now scheduled to be released this evening”.
He reiterates that Israel hasn’t agreed to a ceasefire or the release of “terrorists” and hasn’t given Hamas any concessions.
He added that there is a “serious” deal on the table that will bring all hostages home.
Edan Alexander now due to be released this evening
We’ve just heard from Israeli government spokesman, David Mencer, who says Edan Alexander is now due to be released this evening.
We’ll have more from Mencer’s announcement soon.
Edan Alexander’s mother arrives in Israel for his release
Yael Alexander, the mother of hostage Edan, has arrived in Israel from the US and has spoken to local media from Ben Gurion airport.
She says the 58 remaining hostages (there are currently 59, including Edan) must be returned, adding “this isn’t over”.
“We cannot rest and we cannot forget, everyone needs to come home.”
She also says that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has the strength to make a deal. “Now is the time,” she adds.
After making the remarks, Yael reportedly boarded an Israeli military helicopter and flew to the Re’im base on the Gaza border – where the Israeli military is due to take her son once he has been released.
Crowds gather in Edan Alexander’s New Jersey hometown
Crowds of people in Edan Alexander’s hometown in the US are watching a public livestream of his expected release by Hamas.
Our US-partner CBS News has been to Tenafly, New Jersey to report on the gathering, which began in the early hours of the morning local time.
Returning hostages a ‘sacred obligation’, Israeli president says
Israeli President Isaac Herzog says Edan Alexander’s impending release is being welcomed with “deep emotion and trembling hearts”.
Speaking on a visit to Germany, he says Israel makes “no distinction between one citizen and another, and certainly not between those who hold a foreign passport and those who do not” – seemingly a reference to Alexander being a dual citizen with the US.
“The duty to bring back all the hostages is a sacred and holy moral obligation of the State of Israel,” Herzog says.
“I cry out from here, loudly, to the family of nations: bring them home, now — every last one of them.”
Trump’s Middle East envoy in Israel for hostage release – reports
As we have reported, US President Donald Trump is due to land in the Middle East tomorrow – but his special envoy to the region, Steve Witkoff has already arrived in Israel, according to reports there.
Last night, the Alexander family said: “We express our deepest gratitude to President Trump, Steve Witkoff, and the US administration for their tireless work to make this happen.
“We urge the Israeli government and the negotiating teams: please don’t stop. We hope our son’s release begins negotiations for all 58 remaining hostages, ending this nightmare for them and their families.”
Gaza at critical risk of famine, with half a million facing starvation – report
A new report says the entire population of Gaza – some 2.1 million people – is at critical risk of famine after 19 months of conflict, mass displacement, and the blockade of humanitarian aid.
According to a report by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a global hunger scale used by the UN and many aid agencies, half a million people in the territory are facing starvation.
Israel has prevented any aid entering Gaza since early March, saying it’s putting pressure on Hamas to release the remaining hostages.
“Goods indispensable for people’s survival are either depleted or expected to run out in the coming weeks,” the IPC says, adding that the “risk of famine in the Gaza Strip is not just possible – it is increasingly likely”.
The report, which was prepared based on work between 1 April and 10 May, says this represents a significant deterioration in the situation since its last analysis in October.