Hamas said it would release Israeli U.S. Eddan Alexander from Gaza, a step towards a ceasefire agreement with Israel, according to a statement from the militant group's Telegraph Channel.

Alexander, a 21-year-old Israeli soldier with dual Israeli citizenship, was captured in an attack on Hamas-led southern Israel on October 7, 2023. He is the remaining U.S. citizen held by Hamas in Hamas, Gaza, and is believed to be still alive. According to the United States, the bodies of four other Americans are still in Gaza.

Hamas said in a statement that it had been in secret talks with the United States over the past few days and that Alexander “will be released as part of the steps to establish a ceasefire.” It said his release would be part of the ceasefire efforts to open the crossing of Gaza and brought aid to Gaza 10 weeks after Israel’s blockade, with international humanitarian groups saying hunger on the territory rampant.

Trump went to social media on Sunday to confirm a deal with Hamas on Alexander's release, saying it was to "end this very cruel war and return hostages of all living people and leave them to loved ones."

Israeli officials have not commented publicly on whether they know about the negotiations, but a statement from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the United States “telled Israel about Hamas’ intention to release soldier Edan Alexander as a good woman of Americans without any conditions or compensation.” It said Israel is “preparing for the possibility of his release.”

Earlier this year, both Hamas and the United States confirmed that the two parties had started direct negotiations as early as January - amid a major shift in U.S. policy, as the United States designated it as a terrorist organization in 1997 because it designated it as a terrorist organization in 1997. It is a long-term policy that does not negotiate with the group it designates as a terrorist.

Qatar and Egypt - Two countries that played a key role in the negotiations between Israel and Hamas throughout the war, as well as the United States, welcomed the Alexander release, calling it an "encouraging step" to the ceasefire in Gaza.

The news about Alexander's possible release comes shortly before Trump travels to the region to visit Arab allies in the region during his first overseas trip in his second semester. He is not expected to visit Israel but is expected to discuss the future of Gaza with Arab leaders.

Hamas has not said when Alexander will be released, although Trump's special envoy in the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, told NBC News on Sunday that he will travel to Israel and "may pick him up tomorrow." He said the release was mainly due to President Trump. Vikov's office did not immediately respond to NPR's request for comment.

According to Israel, Gaza, including Alexander, still has 59 hostages, more than half of which are believed to be dead. Hamas released 38 hostages in exchange for thousands of Palestinian prisoners and detainees that Israel continues to trade, and the agreement began on January 19.

Since then, Israel has been able to control one-third of Gaza’s territory and continue to carry out deadly and destructive air movements throughout the process, causing a complete blockade. Earlier this month, it said it planned to expand its offense there.

Gaza health authorities said that Israeli attacks on the territory have killed more than 52,000 Palestinians since the war began in October 2023. Israel died in a Hamas-led attack that month, with about 1,200 people killed and about 250 hostages.

Kat Lonsdorf reported on Washington, D.C., and Daniel Estrin reported on Tel Aviv. Itay Stern contributed to this report in Tel Aviv, with Ahmed Abuhamda being contributed by Nuha Musleh of Cairo and Ramallah.