Israeli PM says negotiations with Hamas will continue ‘under fire’, with just a pause for the planned release of Edan Alexander.

Israel has not agreed to any ceasefire or prisoner swap with Hamas ahead of the expected release of Israeli-American soldier Edan Alexander, but is continuing to prepare to intensify its military operations in Gaza, its prime minister has stated.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement released on Monday that ceasefire negotiations “will continue under fire, during preparations for an intensification of the fighting”. The Israeli leader insisted that military pressure had forced Hamas to make the release.

“Israel has not committed to a ceasefire of any kind” or the release of Palestinian prisoners, but has only agreed to allow safe passage for the release of Alexander, the last surviving United States captive held in Gaza, the statement said.

A Hamas source told the AFP news agency later on Monday that mediators had informed the Palestinian group that Israel would pause military operations in Gaza for the handover.

‘Final deal?’

Hamas said on Monday that Alexander’s release was imminent. The armed group agreed to release him as a goodwill gesture to US President Donald Trump, who is due to arrive in the Middle East later.

The previous day, the Palestinian group had revealed that it had agreed to the release in talks with the US. Arab mediators Qatar and Egypt called it an encouraging step towards a return to ceasefire talks for war-torn Gaza.

Khalil al-Hayyah, a Hamas leader in Gaza, said the group was ready to “immediately start intensive negotiations” to reach a final deal for a long-term truce, including an end to the war, the exchange of Palestinian prisoners and remaining Israeli captives in Gaza, and the handing over of power in the enclave to an independent body of technocrats.

Alexander’s family said they hoped the decision would open the way for the release of the 59 other captives, only 21 of whom are believed to be alive.

Families of the captives and their supporters in Israel have pressed the government to reach a deal to secure the release of those still held in Gaza, but Netanyahu has faced heavy pressure from hardliners in his cabinet not to end the war.

Last week, Netanyahu announced that Israel plans a total conquest of Gaza in an intensive military operation. Israeli officials have said that the step-up in military action would not start until Trump wraps up his Middle East visit.

Israel continues to bombard the enclave.

Gaza’s Civil Defence agency reported on Monday that several people were killed and many more injured in an overnight air attack on a school housing displaced people.

“At least 10 [dead], including several women and children, as well as dozens of wounded, were transported following an Israeli air strike on the Fatima Bint Asad school, which is home to more than 2,000 displaced people in the city of Jabalia,” Civil Defence spokesman Mahmoud Basal said.

Israeli forces also continued attacks across the Gaza Strip, including Gaza City in the north, Rafah in the south and the Nuseirat refugee camp in the centre.

Hamas has said it will release a US-Israeli captive held in Gaza, as the group confirmed it was engaged in direct talks with the United States towards securing a ceasefire in the war-ravaged enclave and getting aid flowing again to a suffering Palestinian population.

The Palestinian group released a statement on Sunday: “Israeli soldier Edan Alexander, a dual US national, will be released as part of efforts towards a ceasefire” and the reopening of aid crossings. Israel has blocked all aid, including food, medicine and fuel, for 70 days.

The Hamas statement did not indicate when the 21-year-old Alexander would be released, but it is thought to be in the coming 48 hours.

Israeli media reported that US envoy Steve Witkoff will be in Israel on Monday as part of the deal.

The announcement comes shortly before US President Donald Trump’s visit to the Middle East this week – which does not include a trip to Israel. Trump and Witkoff have frequently mentioned Alexander by name in the past few months.

Alexander, who grew up in the US, was taken from his military base during the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack.

In its statement on Sunday, Hamas said it was willing to “immediately begin intensive negotiations” that could lead to an agreement to end the war and would see Gaza under a technocratic and independent administration.

“This will ensure calm and stability for many years, along with reconstruction and the end of the blockade,” the group said.

There was no immediate comment from the Trump administration.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on Sunday that the US told Israel that Hamas’s freeing of Alexander would lead to negotiations for the release of more captives. The statement added that Israel’s policy hasn’t changed: negotiations will be conducted under fire with a continued commitment to achieving all war objectives.

‘A lot of questions’

Al Jazeera’s Hamdah Salhut, reporting from Amman, Jordan, said: “It’s unclear exactly what kind of reaction the Israeli government officials had with these direct talks between Hamas and the United States, but last time they were quite angry and that’s because the Israelis weren’t involved and had no knowledge of those talks and the Americans hit back by saying they didn’t need anyone’s permission to negotiate with any of the actors involved because they were American captives held in Gaza”.

“There are a lot of questions from a lot of different angles, specifically from the family members of those captives, from the larger part of Israeli society who have been protesting in the thousands for more than 1.5 years, accusing Benjamin Netanyahu of prolonging the war for his own personal and political gain. And in fact, Israeli officials have been saying the quiet part out loud in recent weeks, saying that the captives were not the main priority for the Israeli government and that they had other goals and objectives they needed to achieve”, she added.

“The family members of captives say that the Israeli government is choosing land grabs over the lives of Israelis who are still being held in Gaza”, she continued, referring to the Israeli government’s decision to expand its offensive in Gaza with a view to reoccupying parts of the territory.

Talks ongoing in Doha

Earlier on Sunday, two Hamas officials told the AFP news agency that talks were ongoing in the Qatari capital of Doha with the US and reported “progress” had been made.

One Hamas official, speaking about the talks with the US, said there was “progress made … notably on the entry of aid to the Gaza Strip” and the potential exchange of captives for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody.

A second official also reported progress “on the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip”.

Israel shattered the last ceasefire, which lasted two months, on March 18, launching a major offensive in Gaza and ramping up its bombardment of the territory.

It has also cut off all aid to Gaza since March 2, saying it would pressure Hamas to release the remaining captives. None have been released since the fleeting truce earlier this year, when several captives were exchanged for Palestinian prisoners.

A total of 59 captives are still in Gaza, around a third of them believed to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals.

Starvation has taken hold across Gaza due to the Israeli blockade.

Earlier this month, the Israeli government approved plans to expand its offensive in the Gaza Strip, with officials talking of retaining a long-term occupying presence there.

The Health Ministry in Gaza said on Sunday that at least 2,720 people have been killed since Israel resumed its assault, bringing the overall Palestinian death toll since the war broke out to 52,829.

Israel has previously bombed Hodeidah and Sanaa International Airport; Houthi missile targeted Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv.

Israel has launched air attacks on Yemen’s Hodeidah governorate, according to the Houthi Interior Ministry.

The attack late on Sunday came after the Israeli army said it had warned those present at three Houthi-controlled ports in the area to evacuate.

It was the latest salvo in exchanges between Israel and the Houthis.

Israel bombed the Hodeidah port after a Houthi attack near Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv earlier this month.

Israeli strikes have also targeted parts of the Yemeni capital Sanaa and the main international airport there.

The Houthis have been firing missiles at Israel and on Israeli targets in the Red Sea in solidarity with Palestinians under fire since the war on Gaza began 19 months ago. Israeli attacks on Gaza have killed more than 52,000 people, including 57 who starved to death due to the total Israeli siege since March 2, according to Palestinian officials.

A ceasefire deal between Yemen’s Houthis and the United States does not include any operations against Israel, the group’s chief negotiator announced earlier this week. The Houthis stopped firing on Israel during the Gaza ceasefire earlier this year, but resumed when Israel imposed its punishing blockade and then resumed the war soon after.

The US military had been launching daily air strikes across Yemen for nearly two months, destroying infrastructure and killing dozens of people, including children and civilians.