JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:
Hamas has released the last remaining U.S. Israeli dual citizen believed to be alive and held hostage in Gaza.
(CHEERING)
SUMMERS: That is the sound of Israelis reacting to the news in central Tel Aviv. Twenty-one-year-old Edan Alexander is now back in Israel, according to the Israeli military. Hamas said the release was a step toward reaching a ceasefire agreement with Israel. President Trump called the release a, quote, "step taken in good faith" to end the war. NPR's Hadeel Al-Shalchi joins us now from Tel Aviv. Hi there.
HADEEL AL-SHALCHI, BYLINE: Hello.
SUMMERS: So Hadeel, tell us, what was the release like?
AL-SHALCHI: Well, Israelis had been waiting all day long for this, and when it happened around 6:30 p.m. Israel time, it felt quick. Hamas has been condemned in previous hostage exchanges for putting on these ceremonies with an audience, parading the hostages, making them do speeches, but none of that happened this time, and there was also no footage of the actual handover. A photograph released by Hamas later showed Alexander flanked by three armed, masked Hamas militants and a Red Cross worker. He was wearing a baseball cap and a black Adidas T-shirt, and around his neck was a lanyard with an ID-like badge with his name on it. And then the Israeli military said he was taken to a hospital for a medical assessment.
SUMMERS: What was the reaction like in Israel?
AL-SHALCHI: Well, in Hostages Square in downtown Tel Aviv, that's where Israelis have been gathering and protesting in support of the hostages for more than 18 months. There, many supporters stood in front of a large TV screen for hours, projecting Alexander's photo. One woman in a bright yellow pantsuit held a sign in English that said, Trump, we trust you. You know, many in the crowd credit Trump for Alexander's release, like 28-year-old medical student Samantha Block, who's a dual U.S. Israeli citizen.
SAMANTHA BLOCK: What Trump is doing in the U.S. is not acceptable in terms of immigration and reproductive rights. But his office has played a role - it's undeniable - in the release of the hostages.
SUMMERS: So that's Israel, but what was the reaction in Gaza to the news?
AL-SHALCHI: I mean, there was also a lot of praise in Gaza for President Trump, who Palestinians are saying will be the one who ends the war. Here's Ahmed Abu Hadid from Gaza City.
AHMED ABU HADID: (Non-English language spoken).
AL-SHALCHI: He says Trump has shown Israel that the United States is stronger. And, you know, it's high stakes for Gaza that really needs a ceasefire. You know, Israel has been striking consistently since it broke a ceasefire in March, and for more than 10 weeks Israel has blocked all aid, including food, from entering Gaza. And today, a report was released by a group of food security experts that said Gaza is now at risk of famine unless Israel stops its military campaign and ends the aid blockade.
SUMMERS: Now, Hamas says this came after days of secret talks with the U.S. What can you tell us about those talks?
AL-SHALCHI: Well, a Hamas official spoke to NPR about this on condition of anonymity because he's not authorized to speak publicly, but he said that the U.S. made promises in exchange for Alexander's release. He hinted that it could be the release of some Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails and ensuring that some aid gets into Gaza.
SUMMERS: Do you get the sense that a ceasefire may be on the horizon?
AL-SHALCHI: I mean, it's hard to say. In a statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Israel did not agree to any ceasefire as a condition for Alexander's release, and it's still planning to expand its military campaign inside Gaza. But Netanyahu then said he met with the U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff today and was going to send an Israeli negotiations team to Doha tomorrow. And, you know, a lot of Israelis are mad here that it's Trump who's managing to move things forward to end the war and see the hostages released and that it's not their own leader. You know, there's about 20 more living hostages in Gaza and the remains of dozens more.
SUMMERS: NPR's Hadeel Al-Shalchi in Tel Aviv. Thank you.
AL-SHALCHI: You're welcome. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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