Edan Alexander was 19 when Hamas militants stormed the Israeli military base where the American-Israeli from New Jersey was a soldier and dragged him into the Gaza Strip.

The agreement to release Edan Alexander came after talks between Washington and Hamas that did not include Israel.

A senior Hamas official tells Newsweek that the Palestinian militant group saw "positive" potential in signs of a growing rift between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after offering the U.S. leader a political win in the form of an American hostage release ahead of his Middle East trip.

American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander, who had been held captive by Hamas in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, was released on Monday.

Israel is preparing a major operation in Gaza — we are not hiding it. We have … the troops ready,” Ambassador Danny Danon told reporters at the UN.

Edan Alexander, a dual Israeli American national, was released following pressure from President Trump, who is set to travel to the region.

The American dual national Edan Alexander has been handed over by Hamas more than 19 months after he was taken hostage.

Hamas releases Edan Alexander, the last living American hostage in Gaza, ahead of President Trump’s Middle East trip

Last year, a million Palestinians fled to Rafah, the southernmost city in the Gaza Strip, to escape the brunt of Israel’s bombardment in its war against Hamas. When Israeli forces later invaded Rafah itself, they flattened areas along the border with Egypt, but many neighborhoods were largely spared the worst of the war. That is no longer the case.