The United States informed Israel that the expected release of hostage Edan Alexander will launch renewed negotiations over a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday night.
The negotiations will be carried out under the outline proposed by the Trump administration’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, the PMO said, stressing that the outline had already been agreed to by Israel.
Israel is “preparing for the possibility” negotiations will materialize, Netanyahu’s office added in its official statement.
Further, Netanyahu’s office stated that negotiations will be held under fire, as per Israeli policy.
Steve Witkoff to visit Israel
Witkoff, who was first to tell the Alexander family of their son’s expected release from Hamas captivity in Gaza, will visit Israel on Monday. His visit comes amid US President Donald Trump‘s trip to the Middle East, which will not include a stop in Israel.
The Trump administration negotiated with the Gaza-based terrorist group for several days before an agreement on Alexander’s release was announced.
Earlier on Sunday, N12 reported that Witkoff criticized Israel in a meeting with hostage families.
“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, according to N12, which cited sources present at the meeting.
Israel had been preparing in recent days to launch another full-scale invasion of the Gaza Strip. Last week, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) head Ronen Bar approved the final tactical plans for the widening of the invasion, which was more generally authorized by the security cabinet earlier in May.
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