American and Israeli officials believe the release of Edan Alexander, 21, presents a “window of opportunity” to free the remaining 58 hostages still held by Hamas after 585 days since their capture on Oct. 7, 2023.
Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and hostage envoy Adam Boehler will travel from Israel to Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday for further negotiations for the release of not only the 24 hostages still believed to be alive, but also the bodies of at least 34 individuals who have been held by the terrorist group including four Americans: Itay Chen, Omer Neutra, and Gadi Haggai and Judi Weinstein Haggai.
In a nearly two-hour meeting with Witkoff, Boehler and the Hostages Families Forum, both officials emphasized that they remain committed to returning all hostages and confirmed they would not be traveling to Doha if they did not believe there was a real chance in advancing negotiations.
Edan Alexander, center, speaks with loved ones following his release. (IDF)
AMERICAN HOSTAGE EDAN ALEXANDER RELEASED BY HAMAS AFTER MORE THAN 580 DAYS IN CAPTIVITY
While Alexander’s return has been championed as a major success story, and both President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were reported to have spoken with the Israeli American from a hospital in Tel Aviv, immense concern remains over the hostages still held in the Gaza Strip.
Though Israel ceased its military operations in the Gaza Strip to secure the safe transport of Alexander on Monday, it has not committed to any continued cessation of strikes.
In Witkoff’s comments to the families of the hostages, he said President Trump would not “tolerate anything other than everybody coming home, and he will be relentless in that pursuit.” He continued, “you saw what happened with the Houthis. You saw what happened when people don’t do well with the United States, we don’t do so well with them. So it’s a message of do what we ask you to do. And you know then things will be better.”
Israeli reports also suggested the envoy may be feeling frustrated with his Israeli counterparts.
“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 reportedly said during the meeting with the hostage families.
“There is currently a window of opportunity that we hope Israel and all the mediators will take advantage of,” he was reported to have added. “We are putting pressure on all the mediators and doing everything we can to bring the hostages home.”
The comments reportedly come following reports that Trump has also grown increasingly frustrated with his Israeli counterpart.
Edan Alexander thanks President Donald Trump in a handwritten message following his release from captivity in Gaza. (The White House)
TRUMP STRAINS RELATIONSHIP WITH NETANYAHU AS MIDDLE EAST POLICY INCREASINGLY ISOLATES ISRAEL
Israel said last week that Trump’s visit to the Middle East would be “the window of opportunity” to secure a ceasefire otherwise it would continue with its newly announced plans to capture all of Gaza, despite immense international pushback and concerns over human rights abuses and violations of U.N.-established borders.
The comments came after Netanyahu prompted immense outcry after he said his number one priority was destroying Hamas, not returning the hostages, despite opposition to the plan by the majority of Israelis.
On Monday, Netanyahu reiterated his intent to “destroy” Hamas while speaking with injured reservists and confirmed that even if Hamas agrees to return the hostages, Israel will continue with its military operations.
People hold posters of hostages during a rally to mark the first anniversary of the Oct. 7 terror attacks on Israel, on Oct. 6, 2024 in New York City. (Noam Galai/Getty Images)
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“In the coming days, we are going in with full force to complete the operation. Completing the operation means defeating Hamas. It means destroying Hamas,” he said.
“It’s possible that Hamas will say, ‘Time out — we want to release ten more [hostages].’ Fine, bring them. We’ll take them, and then we’ll go in. But there will not be a situation in which we stop the war. There may be a temporary ceasefire, but we’re going all the way,” he confirmed.
Witkoff’s team did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s questions.
