Hamas claims it lost contact to US-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander after airstrike, as Israel awaits hostage deal response

The terror group Hamas claims to have lost contact with the squad guarding U.S.-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander on Tuesday, as Israel awaits Hamas’ response to the latest hostage deal proposal.

“We announce that we have lost contact with the team guarding soldier Edan Alexander following a direct Israeli bombardment targeting their location. We are still trying to reach them,” Hamas Spokesman Abu Obeida claimed.

Alexander has been at the center of efforts by the United States to mediate a new hostage deal in recent weeks, with the latest proposal reportedly including the release of 10 to 11 hostages in return for at least 40 days of a ceasefire.

“It seems that the occupation army is deliberately trying to kill him and hence relieve themselves from the pressure caused by the dual-citizen prisoners in order to continue its genocide against our people,” Abu Obeida said.

Accompanying the group’s latest propaganda push, Hamas also released a video threatening the Israeli hostages. The video shows masked terrorists transporting coffins in a staged release ceremony, accompanied by the message, “Be Prepared, Soon your children will return in black coffins.”

Just before the start of the Passover holiday last Saturday, Hamas released a propaganda video featuring a distraught Alexander blaming the Israeli and U.S. governments for “deserting” him in the Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, Israel is awaiting Hamas' response to the latest hostage deal proposal after a Hamas delegation returned to Qatar from Cairo, Egypt.

On Wednesday, Ariel Kahana from the Israel Hayom news outlet reported that, despite a BBC report claiming Hamas had rejected the offer, Israel has so far not received an official response.

“Israel has not received any response from the mediators on behalf of the organization, either positive or negative,” Kahana wrote.

On Tuesday evening, the BBC cited a senior Palestinian official, who reported that Hamas rejected an offer for a six-week truce, during which 10 living hostages and the remains of 16 deceased hostages would be released.

Earlier on Tuesday, a Hamas official told the French outlet AFP: “Hamas will most likely send its response to the mediators within the next 48 hours, as the movement is still conducting in-depth consultations... within its leadership framework, as well as with resistance factions, in order to formulate a unified position.”

According to Ynet News, the proposed deal would begin with the release of Alexander on the first day, and five more hostages the following day. Israel would then free 66 prisoners serving life sentences and 611 Gazans who are still detained.

Negotiations regarding the “day after” the Iron Swords War would begin on Day 3, including the disarmament of Hamas and a permanent ceasefire – but not an end to the war.

Four more Israeli hostages would be released on Day 7 in exchange for 54 more terrorists serving life sentences and 500 more Gazans. On Day 10, Hamas would provide information on the condition of the remaining living hostages, and on Day 20, it would release 16 bodies of hostages while Israel would return 160 Palestinian bodies.

If negotiations for a permanent ceasefire are successful within 45 days, Hamas would then agree to release all remaining Israeli hostages, according to Ynet.

The outline also includes a ban on humiliating “release ceremonies,” along with provisions for the reintroduction of humanitarian aid and the withdrawal of IDF troops from Rafah and northern Gaza.

According to the Palestinian source cited by the BBC, Hamas has rejected this proposal because it doesn’t address its two most important demands: A guaranteed end to the war, and a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops.