Israel’s ultimatum to Hamas regarding the launch of a widened Gaza offensive is still in effect following the announcement of Edan Alexander’s expected release, an Israeli source told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday night.
Israel will launch the planned offensive on Gaza if Hamas refuses to agree to the ceasefire deal outline that includes the immediate release of 10 hostages, the source added.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the plan was effective because it shifted the IDF’s strategy “from targeted raids to seizing territory and maintaining control over it.”
The United States told Israel that Alexander’s release could lead to renewed hostage and ceasefire deal negotiations, the Prime Minister’s Office revealed on Sunday night.
“The United States has informed Israel that this move is expected to lead to negotiations for the release of hostages under the original Witkoff framework, which Israel has already accepted,” the PMO noted.
The PMO stated that Israel is preparing for the possibility that this move will materialize, and that “According to Israel’s policy, the negotiations will take place under fire, with a commitment to achieving all the war’s objectives.”
Alexander’s release a ‘goodwil gesture’ to Trump
An Egyptian source told the Associated Press that the American-Israeli hostages’ release was a gesture of goodwill toward Trump.
“Direct contacts between Hamas and the US began five days ago,” the Egyptian source said.
Sources close to Hamas reported that the terror group will release Alexander at noon on Monday, according to Arabic daily Asharq al-Awsat.
“Alexander’s release is a gesture of goodwill toward Trump. Hamas was told, ‘Give [US President Donald] Trump a gift and he will repay you with a bigger gift.'”
Special envoys Steve Witkoff and Adam Boehler will be heading to Israel with the Alexander family to oversee the release.
Trump is also scheduled to head to the Middle East, but he announced that he will not be stopping in Israel. Jerusalem officials stated that the operation would begin only after he completes his visit to the region.
Earlier on Sunday, Witkoff criticized the Israeli government for prolonging the world, in his opinion.
“We want to bring the hostages home, but Israel is not willing to end the war. Israel is prolonging it despite the fact that we don’t see where else we can go and that an agreement must be reached,” Witkoff said during a meeting with hostage families.
“There is currently an opportunity window that we hope Israel and all the mediators will take advantage of. We are putting pressure on all the mediators and doing everything we can to bring the hostages home.”
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