CAIRO − Hamas will release the Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander held in Gaza as a part of efforts to reach aceasefire agreementand allow humanitarian aid to enter the besieged enclave, a senior Hamas official told Reuters on May 11. Freeing Alexander, believed to be thelast surviving American hostageheld by the militant Palestinian group, comes ahead of U.S. President Trump's visit to the Middle East this week. In a statement, the exiled Gaza Hamas chief Khalil Al-Hayya said efforts to facilitate the release have been jointly carried out by Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey. It is part of efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement andallow humanitarian aidto enter the besieged enclave, the Palestinian militant group said. More:'Occupation': Israel readies plan to seize all of Gaza, officials say Another official, the exiled Gaza Hamas chief Khalil al-Hayya, said efforts to facilitate the release have been jointly carried out by Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey. "The movement affirms its readiness to immediately start intensive negotiations and make serious efforts to reach a final agreement to end the war, exchange prisoners in an agreed-upon manner," Hayya added. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Hamas says it will free Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander
