The Hamas militant group released the last living American-Israeli hostage held in Gaza on Monday as an Israeli strike on a school-turned-shelter in the Gaza Strip killed about 16 people in the embattled enclave, mostly women and children.
Hamas said it released Edan Alexander as a goodwill gesture toward the Trump administration to try to revive talks on ending the war. The Israeli military said Alexander was with the Red Cross and is now with Israeli forces.
At least five children and four women were among those killed in the strike on a school in the Jabaliya area, the Gaza Health Ministry鈥檚 emergency service said, adding that a number of people were wounded.
The Israeli military blames civilian deaths on Hamas, saying its fighters operate in densely populated areas. There was no immediate comment on the latest strike.
The release and the attack came as U.S. President Donald Trump heads this week.
After ending a ceasefire two months ago, Israel has intensified the , where its 10-week blockade on food, medicine and other supplies is worsening a .
Here is the latest:
Relief from another Israeli-American soldier who was in Gaza with Alexander
鈥淚 feel like I can finally breathe," said Agam Shalam, who went to high school and trained for the Israeli army in a unit with Alexander.
She recalled being on a kibbutz in southern Israel when Hamas attacked on Oct. 7, 2023, hiding in bomb shelters and hearing after a couple days that an Israeli military officer had contacted Alexander鈥檚 parents to say that he had been taken hostage.
She called it as 鈥渁n insane thing to hear, for the first time. I don鈥檛 think anyone ever, I never expected for my friend to be held hostage, not for a stay, not for a week and certainly not for 580 days.鈥
Al Jazeera says the Palestinian Authority has lifted a ban on the Qatar-based network and will allow it to resume work in the occupied West Bank
There was no official comment from PA.
The PA imposed a ban on Al Jazeera in January, accusing it of incitement. The move came after Al Jazeera covered on West Bank militants led by the PA鈥檚 security forces.
Israel , accusing it of incitement and of serving as a mouthpiece of Hamas.
Al Jazeera has denied the allegations and accused both Israel and the PA of trying to silence critical coverage.
The PA exercises limited autonomy in parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Israeli music plays in freed hostage's New Jersey hometown as crowds gather
Hundreds of supporters packed the streets of the 21-year-old Alexander's hometown, hugging, jumping and swaying to Israeli music blasting on speakers. They cheered the news of his release while watching a live news broadcast from Israel on a large videoscreen.
Shirly Zaifman, whose children went to school with Alexander, said his family is an important part of the town.
鈥淧eople are here for him because he brings people together,鈥 Zaifman said.
Carley Peven, of Teaneck, N.J. said 鈥渨e are overjoyed, we could use some good news while we still have 58 other hostages, we鈥檙e going to take this moment to celebrate.鈥
Her heart, she said, is 鈥渙verflowing. We鈥檝e been fighting for this for over 500 days.鈥
Israeli military says hostage released in the Gaza Strip is now with its forces
The Israeli military says a hostage released in the Gaza Strip, Edan Alexander, was with the Red Cross and is now with Israeli forces.
Alexander was taken from his military base in southern Israel during Hamas鈥 cross-border attack on Oct. 7, 2023, which set off the war in Gaza. His release would be the first since , unleashing fierce strikes on Gaza that have killed hundreds.
Hamas says it released an American-Israeli hostage
Hamas says it has released Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander as a goodwill gesture toward the Trump administration to try to revive talks on ending the war.
There was no immediate confirmation from Israel.
The release comes ahead of President Donald Trump鈥檚 visit to the Middle East this week.
People gather in Alexander's hometown in support of his release
In Edan Alexander鈥檚 hometown of Tenafly, New Jersey people gathered in the streets around Huyler Park with yellow 鈥渨elcome home鈥 and 鈥渂ring them home鈥 signs and set up a large video screen with a live newsfeed from Israel. Supporters have gathered every Friday to march for the hostages鈥 release.
Shirly Zaifman, whose children went to school with Alexander, said the 21-year-old is funny, smart and athletic, and that his family is an important part of the town.
鈥淲e鈥檙e ecstatic, we鈥檙e nervous just because we know, you know, anything can happen last minute,鈥 Zaifman said, draped in an American and Israel flag. 鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping for the best, it looks like it鈥檚 happening, but it鈥檚 such a thrill.鈥
Trump said he鈥檚 weighing removing sanctions on Syrian government
鈥淲e may want to take them off of Syria, because we want to give them a fresh start,鈥 said Trump, adding that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged him to do so.
The comments were striking change in tone from the president on Syria sanctions and the government of Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa.
Al-Sharaa took power after his Islamist group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), led an offensive that toppled in December.
The Trump administration has yet to formally recognize the new Syrian government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, and HTS remains a U.S.-designated terrorist organization. Sanctions imposed on Damascus under Assad also remain in place.
Hawks in the White House and the Republican Party have been skeptical of al-Sharaa鈥檚 transformation and insist Syria remains a counter-terrorism issue.
Trump cheers special envoy Steve Witkoff for Edan Alexander鈥檚 expected release from Gaza
Trump said that the U.S.-Israeli citizen was expected to be released by Hamas in the 鈥渘ext two hours鈥 or 鈥渟ometime today.鈥
鈥淗e鈥檚 coming home to his parents, which is really great news,鈥 Trump told reporters at the White House shortly he was scheduled to depart for a whirlwind visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and United Arab Emirates.
Trump credited his special envoy Steve Witkoff in helping win the release of Alexander, 21.
The president said that Witkoff, a New York real estate developer turned diplomat, knew 鈥渧ery little about the subject matter鈥 but learned quickly.
鈥淗e has a special way about him,鈥 Trump said of Witkoff.
Edan Alexander is to be released at around 1530 GMT
An Israeli official says Hamas is expected to release Edan Alexander at around 6:30 p.m. (1530 GMT).
The official spoke on condition of anonymity as they weren't authorized to brief the media
UN and an aid group slam Israel鈥檚 Gaza blockade after report warns of famine risk
A senior United Nations official said Monday鈥檚 is 鈥渆xtremely concerning鈥 given that the strip鈥檚 roughly 2 million population continues to face 鈥渁 very critical risk of famine.鈥
Beth Bechdol, deputy director of the U.N.鈥檚 Food and Agriculture Organization, said Gaza鈥檚 food system has collapsed since Israel reimposed its blockade.
鈥淲e are moving into a period where the entire population of the Gaza Strip 鈥 are continuing to face a very critical risk of famine and extreme hunger and malnutrition,鈥 she said in an interview.
Mahmoud Alsaqqa, food security coordinator for the charity Oxfam, meanwhile, slammed Israel鈥檚 blockade, saying that thousands of aid trucks carrying aid were prevented from reaching desperate civilians.
鈥淕aza鈥檚 starvation is not incidental鈥攊t is deliberate, entirely engineered,鈥 he said. 鈥 It is unconscionable and is being allowed to happen.鈥
Relatives of hostages voice anger ahead of American-Israeli鈥檚 release
Dani Miran, the father of hostage Omri Miran, said he was happy for Edan Alexander鈥檚 expected release but 鈥渧ery sad that families of hostages need foreign passports to release their loved ones.鈥 He said, 鈥淒oes this country not know how to protect our citizens?鈥
Other relatives also expressed frustration over Israel鈥檚 failure to secure the release of their loved ones.
鈥淲e do not trust our government,鈥 said Yehuda Cohen, father of hostage Nimrod Cohen. 鈥淲e need you, we need the United States, we need President Trump, we need special envoy Steve Witkoff to finish the job and free all the hostages.鈥
Einav Zangauker said her son, Matan, was held together with Edan Alexander and her 鈥渉eart breaks from the knowledge that he will languish alone in captivity.鈥
Addressing Trump in English, she said, 鈥淢r. President, sir, all of the Israeli people are behind you. End this war! Bring them all home!鈥
Experts say Gaza is at critical risk of famine
Food security experts said on Monday the Gaza Strip is at critical risk of famine if Israel doesn鈥檛 lift its blockade and stop its military campaign.
Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, a leading international authority on the severity of hunger crises, said outright famine is the most likely scenario unless conditions change.
Nearly half a million Palestinians are in 鈥渃atastrophic鈥 levels of hunger, meaning they face possible starvation, the report said, while another million are at 鈥渆mergency鈥 levels of hunger.
Bodies of 33 people killed in Israeli strikes brought to hospitals over past 24 hours
The Palestinian Health Ministry also said Monday hospitals received 94 wounded. The dead included four bodies that were recovered from under the rubble, it said.
The death toll from the Israel-Hamas war has now reached 52,862, the ministry said, while 119,648 have been wounded.
It said the tally includes 2,749 dead and 7,607 wounded since Israel resumed the war in March, shattering a nearly 2-month ceasefire.
The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants, but says more than half of the dead were women and children.
Israel asks top international court to revoke Netanyahu鈥檚 arrest warrant
Israel has filed a request with the International Criminal Court to have arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, revoked after an appeal last month ordered a pretrial panel to reconsider jurisdiction but did not suspend the warrants.
In a filing made public over the weekend.
Israel says the court did not have the legal authority to issue arrest warrants in November.
The warrants allege that Netanyahu and Gallant are responsible for crimes against humanity in the Gaza war. Israel, which is not a member of the court and rejects its jurisdiction, strongly refutes the allegations.
Hamas says American-Israeli hostage held in Gaza will be released
Hamas says it will release Edan Alexander on Monday.
Alexander, an Israeli soldier, was taken captive on Oct. 7, 2023.
Family of hostage set to be freed expresses joy and thanks Trump
Edan Alexander鈥檚 family said in a statement that it 鈥渞eceived the greatest gift imaginable 鈥 news that our beautiful son Edan is returning home after 583 days in captivity in Gaza.鈥
Alexander鈥檚 parents, who live in the United States, were making their way to Israel ahead of the expected release.
The family said it was deeply grateful to Trump and his administration for their efforts to secure Edan's release.
It also urged the Israeli government to continue efforts to free all the hostages. 鈥淧lease don鈥檛 stop. We hope our son鈥檚 release begins negotiations for all 58 remaining hostages, ending this nightmare for them and their families.鈥
Some families of hostages uneasy over the planned release of Edan Alexander
The relatives of Israeli hostages welcomed the imminent release of the American-Israeli hostage, but there is also unease.
Some said Alexander was singled out for freedom because of his American citizenship and said they were worried about the fate of the other 23 living and roughly 35 dead captives who remain in Gaza.
鈥淭rump is rescuing him. Who will rescue Gali and Ziv?鈥 Maccabit Mayer, the aunt of sibling hostages Gali and Ziv Berman, told Israeli Army Radio on Monday. She said she was sorry the twin brothers don't have 鈥渢he right citizenship.鈥
Also, some of the relatives accuse Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of not doing enough to free their loved ones, saying his insistence on continuing the war in Gaza is politically motivated.
Hamas says it will release last living American hostage in Gaza in a ceasefire effort
Hamas says the as part of efforts to establish a ceasefire, reopen crossings into the Israeli-blockaded territory and resume aid delivery to the battered enclave.
Two Hamas officials have told The Associated Press they expect the release of Edan Alexander in the next 48 hours.
Trump鈥檚 envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed in a message to the AP that Hamas has agreed to release Alexander as a goodwill gesture toward Trump.
Alexander is an Israeli-American soldier who grew up in the United States.
Famine looms as Israel presses its Gaza blockade
Hospital patients are among the most vulnerable as Palestinians across Gaza struggle to feed themselves.
Israel鈥檚 blockade on food and other supplies entering the territory is now in its third month and hospitals are unable to provide food. Families must bring whatever they can find to help loved ones recover and doctors say patients have lost weight in recent weeks.
Aid groups say malnutrition is on the rise across Gaza. Food distributions have ended and charity kitchens are rapidly closing. Markets are empty of almost everything but canned goods and small amounts of vegetables, and prices have been rising.
