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March 10, 2025 | 06:58 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A Hamas official on Sunday, March 9, 2025, told Reuters that the meeting between Hamas and the American negotiator for hostages from the United States (US), Adam Boehler, in the past few days has been focused on the release of a hostage of Israeli-American citizenship named Edan Alexander.
Taher Al-Nono, Hamas' political advisor, confirmed that there have been direct discussions with Washington. These discussions took place in Doha, Qatar, over the past week.
"Several meetings have been held in Doha, focusing on the release of a dual citizen hostage. We have locked in the agreement and flexibility in terms of the interests of Palestinian citizens," Nono said.
He added that the United States and Hamas also discussed how the ceasefire agreement could be implemented to end the war in Gaza.
"We have conveyed to the US envoy that we do not oppose the release of the intended hostage as long as it is within the negotiated framework," Nono said
Earlier on the past weekend, the US Special Envoy for the Middle East, Steve Wikoff, said that the White House is working to free the hostage named Edan Alexander, 21, from New Jersey. He is believed to be the only remaining American citizen hostage who is still alive and being held by Hamas in Gaza.
Wikoff said Alexander's release is their priority. Alexander is an Israeli soldier.
On Saturday, March 8, 2025, Israel and Hamas gave signals of preparing for phase two of ceasefire negotiations. Mediators continue to push for immediate negotiations since the first phase ceasefire that began on January 19, 2025, has become fragile. Each ceasefire lasts for 42 days.
Israel estimates that 59 hostages are still held in Gaza with at least 20 of them still alive. They are expected to be released in the second phase of the ceasefire, which would require Israel to fully withdraw its troops from Gaza and permanently end the war.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu halted the entry of humanitarian aid to Gaza last Sunday or a few hours after the first phase of the ceasefire agreement expired.
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