On Monday, Hamas released Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old New Jersey-born IDF soldier who was captured during the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel.

Alexander was handed over to the Red Cross, which transferred him to the Israeli military. He was freed as a result of US engagement with Hamas that didn’t involve Israel.

According to a report from Axios, President Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, negotiated with Hamas chief negotiator Khalil al-Haia through a mediator. The US made clear to Hamas that the release of Alexander “for free” ahead of President Trump’s visit to the Middle East would go a “long way” with the US administration.

“The Al-Qassam Brigades have just released the Israeli soldier holding American citizenship, Edan Alexander, following communications with the US administration,” Hamas said in a statement. “This comes as part of the mediators’ efforts to reach a ceasefire, open the border crossings, and allow the entry of aid and relief for our people in the Gaza Strip.”

Trump announced that Alexander would be released in a post on Sunday and said he hoped it would be “the first of those final steps necessary to end this brutal conflict.”

Israel refused to implement a ceasefire for the release of Alexander and only agreed to a brief pause to create a safe corridor. “Israel has not committed to a ceasefire of any kind or the release of terrorists, but only to a safe corridor that will allow for the release of Edan,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.

Netanyahu also said on Monday that he would send a negotiation team to Qatar on Tuesday, but vowed that talks would continue “under fire” and that Israel would continue preparing for a major escalation of its genocidal war. Israel’s plans to expand the assault on Gaza involve  destroying every remaining building, “concentrating” the civilian population in a tiny part of southern Gaza, and pressuring them to leave as part of an ethnic cleansing campaign.

“We are in the midst of critical days in which Hamas has been presented with a deal that would enable the release of our hostages. The negotiations will continue under fire, during preparations for an intensification of the fighting,” Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu said that he spoke with Witkoff about the possibility of implementing a “framework for the release of the hostages” before “the expansion of fighting.” Gaza remains under a total Israeli blockade, which was implemented more than 70 days ago, pushing the civilian population into starvation.

The deal to free Alexander was reached amid a series of reports about President Trump being frustrated with Netanyahu. According to a report from NBC News, Trump is opposed to Israel’s plans to escalate in Gaza because he thinks it will make it harder to rebuild, but there’s no indication the president is willing to use US military aid as leverage to pressure Netanyahu to reach a lasting peace deal.

Israel’s Channel 12 has reported that Witkoff recently told the families of Israeli captives who remain in Gaza that the US “wants to return the hostages, but Israel is not ready to end the war.” He added that Israel “is prolonging the war, even though we do not see where further progress can be made.”

Israel has repeatedly rejected Hamas’s offer to release all remaining Israeli captives in exchange for a permanent ceasefire, and Netanyahu has said that freeing the hostages is not his priority. Israel has been demanding that any deal must include the disarmament of Hamas, but the US has reportedly  backed down on that demand.

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