Hamas announces imminent release of Edan Alexander, last known living American hostage

Hamas announces imminent release of Edan Alexander, last known living American hostage

Hamas has announced the imminent release of Edan Alexander, the last known living American hostage held inGaza. The head of Hamas' negotiating team said they had been in contact with the US administration "during the past few days" in talks that "showed high positivity." Following the communications, Hamas announced it will release Alexander as part of thesteps toward a ceasefirethat will see the crossings into Gaza opened and humanitarian aid brought into Gaza following an Israeli blockade that has lasted more than two months. "The movement affirms its readiness to immediately start intensive negotiations, and make serious efforts to reach a final agreement to stop the war, exchange prisoners in an agreed manner, and manage the Gaza Strip by an independent professional body," Khalil Al-Hayya said in a statement. The Alexander family described the news on Mother's Day as "the greatest gift imaginable" and thanked US President Donald Trump, his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and the US administration for their "tireless work to make this happen." In a post on Truth Social, Trump hailed the development as "monumental news," describing it as a "step taken in good faith toward the United States and the efforts of the mediators – Qatar and Egypt – to put an end to this very brutal war and return ALL living hostages and remains to their loved ones." The release could be as early as Monday but is more likely to occur on Tuesday, according to two sources familiar with the matter. Hamas leader Mahmoud Mardawi told the Hamas-affiliated Al Aqsa TV that they conducted direct negotiations with the US that would lead to the resumption of humanitarian aid into Gaza. According to a third source familiar with the matter, Witkoff will arrive in Tel Aviv Monday morning ahead of the release of Alexander. Witkoff told CNN the talks with Hamas were indirect. The source called it "a total good will gesture," especially since it comes with Israel poised to expand its military operations in Gaza. Israel is not expected to release any Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Alexander. "We're going to go into immediate peace deal negotiations," the source said. US Special Envoy for Hostage Response Adam Boehler will travel with the parents of Alexander to Israel for their son's expected release, he told CNN Sunday. Boehler and Adi and Yael Alexander will land in Israel on Monday. "There was a team-led effort that the president really focused on Edan and then (US Secretary of State) Marco Rubio and Steve Witkoff made it a huge focus," Boehler said. He would not give further details about the negotiations, but noted that "the signals have been very good." Boehler said that Trump remains committed to the release of all of the hostages and the return of US remains. Alexander's release "should be viewed by Israelis and Americans alike as a first important step," he told CNN. In a closed meeting of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Sunday evening in the Knesset, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the members that Hamas may soon release Alexander, according to another source familiar with the matter. The Prime Minister's Office said in a statement that it had been informed by the US of Hamas' intention to release Alexander "without compensation or conditions." The release is expected to lead to negotiations for the release of more hostages, but Netanyahu's office said that "negotiations will take place under fire." News of the announcement of Alexander's release was first reported by Axios. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said Alexander's release must be the beginning of a "comprehensive" agreement to secure the release of all the hostages. "Prime Minister Netanyahu must immediately fulfill the supreme moral obligation – and the demand of the vast majority of the Israeli public – to bring everyone back," the forum said. "President Trump, you've given the families of all the hostages hope. Please, complete your mission and bring them all home." Alexander is one of 59 hostages still held in Gaza. Last week, Trump said that only 21 of the hostages were still alive, fewer than Israel's official count of 24 living hostages. Trump's surprise announcementforced Netanyahu to acknowledgethat there are three hostages "where there is doubt whether they are alive." Among the hostages are four deceased American citizens, including husband and wife Gadi Haggai and Judi Weinstein Haggai, as well as soldiers Itay Chen and Omer Neutra. In an interview aired on Saturday evening, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee called the return of the hostages "the highest priority that the president has as it related to this country." In a joint statement, Qatar and Egypt called Alexander's release "an encouraging step for the parties to return to the negotiating table for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the release of prisoners and detainees, and ensuring the safe and unhindered flow of aid to address the tragic situation in the Strip." Alexander's release is "part of the steps taken" for humanitarian aid to once again flow into Gaza, according to Hamas, following a complete Israeli blockade of the territory that began on March 2. Since then, food stocks have run out at warehouses and food kitchens across Gaza as the enclave has moved closer to famine. The Ministry of Health in Gaza said Sunday there were severe shortages of medical supplies, warning that 43% of essential medication is currently out of stock. Emergency rooms and ICUs in Gaza are being forced to operate on "depleted supplies amid a rise in critical injuries," the ministry said. UNRWA, the main UN agency in Gaza, warned Friday that "basic humanitarian supplies, including food, fuel, medical aid and vaccines for children, are rapidly running out." The agency said it has now run out entirely of its stocks of flour and food parcels. On Friday, World Chef Kitchen said that its teams in Gaza can "no longer cook meals or bake bread" and are focusing their efforts instead on expanding clean water supply in the enclave. The statement from the Israeli Prime Minister's Office made no mention of resuming the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza. This is a developing story and will be updated. Jennifer Hansler and Kit Maher of CNN, and Khader Al-Za'anoun of Wafa, the official Palestinian news agency, contributed to this story. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

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Hamas announces imminent release of Edan Alexander, last known living American hostage

Hamas announces imminent release of Edan Alexander, last known living American hostage Hamas has announced the imminent release of Edan Alex...

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Trump says last living American hostage Edan Alexander will be released by Hamas: 'Coming home'

Trump says last living American hostage Edan Alexander will be released by Hamas: 'Coming home'

President Donald Trumpconfirmed that the last living American hostage, Edan Alexander, would be released by Hamas after nearly two years in captivity. "I am happy to announce that Edan Alexander, an American citizen who has been held hostage since October 2023, is coming home to his family," Trump wrote in a post on his social media platform 'Truth Social' on Sunday. "I am grateful to all those involved in making this monumental news happen. This was a step taken in good faith towards the United States and the efforts of the mediators — Qatar and Egypt — to put an end to this very brutal war and return ALL living hostages and remains to their loved ones," Trump continued. "Hopefully this is the first of those final steps necessary to end this brutal conflict. I look very much forward to that day of celebration!" Hamas Claims It Will Release American Hostage Edan Alexander Alexander, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, has beenheld captive in Gazasince the October 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel. Read On The Fox News App The news comes after the terror organization announced on Sunday it was "in contact with the U.S. administration in recent days." "The movement has shown a high level of positivity, and the Israeli soldier with dual American citizenship, [Edan] Alexander, will be released as part of the steps being taken toward a ceasefire, the opening of border crossings, and the entry of aid and relief for our people in the Gaza Strip," the statement read. Vice President JD Vance also commented on the announcement, writing: "Pray that Hamas follows through and Edan gets to come home." "If they do, it will have been another triumph of Steve Witkoff, who continues to face withering attacks for freeing hostages, negotiating complex diplomatic proposals, and serving his country (at great financial cost)," Vance wrote in a post on X. It's unclear when Alexander will be released. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum Headquarters also released a statement following the announcement of Alexander's release, saying that they "are embracing and supporting the Alexander family." New Pulitzer Prize Winner Disparaged Israelis Kidnapped By Hamas On Oct 7, Questioned Their 'Hostage' Status "Should this release be confirmed, the release of Edan Alexander must mark the beginning of a comprehensive agreement that will secure the freedom of all remaining hostages," the statement read. "President Trump, you've given the families of all the hostages hope. Please, complete your mission and bring them all home." Trump recently marked his 100th day in office, and the families of the five Americans still held hostage urged him to reflect on his strategy and apply pressure on both Israel and Hamas, through both economic and diplomatic means, to secure therelease of all hostages. In addition, fifty members of Congress sent Trump a letter on May 9 urging him to prioritize getting the remaining hostages out. Hamas Agrees To Release Edan Alexander, The Last Living American Hostage "As months have passed since the most recent exchange, we must keep the five remaining Americans and additional 54 hostages top of mind. The five American hostages include Edan Alexander, Omer Neutra, Itay Chen, Gadi Haggai and Judi Weinstein Haggai. Only Alexander is believed to be alive while Nuetra, Chen, Haggai and Weinstein Haggai were either murdered on October 7th or in captivity," the group wrote in a letter to President Trump. "Our government's most solemn responsibility is to keep Americans safe. With that responsibility in mind, we urge you to use all diplomatic tools at your disposal, in concert with our regional allies and partners, to ensure Edan's release and the release of the remains of the deceased American hostages as soon as possible. Every day in captivity adds to the nightmare for the hostages and their families. We must bring them home now," the letter continued. Raised in Tenafly, New Jersey,Alexander moved to Israel at 18 to volunteer for military service in the IDF's Golani Brigade. He lived with his grandparents in Tel Aviv and at Kibbutz Hazor, where he was part of a group of lone soldiers. He was kidnapped on the morning of October 7 — a Saturday, he wasn't required to remain on base. His mother was visiting from abroad, and like many lone soldiers, he had the option to go home for the weekend. But he chose to stay, not wanting to leave his comrades short-staffed on guard duty. There are 59 hostages still in Gaza, at least 24 of whom are assessed to be alive, includingAlexander, now 21 years old after having spent two birthdays in Hamas captivity. Fox News Digital's Caitlin McFall contributed to this report. Original article source:Trump says last living American hostage Edan Alexander will be released by Hamas: 'Coming home'

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Trump says last living American hostage Edan Alexander will be released by Hamas: 'Coming home'

Trump says last living American hostage Edan Alexander will be released by Hamas: 'Coming home' President Donald Trumpconfirmed that...

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This US-owned factory in China made toys for Walmart. Tariffs put it on life support

This US-owned factory in China made toys for Walmart. Tariffs put it on life support

By Nicholas P. Brown (Reuters) -The emails started pouring in on April 9, the day President Donald Trump's 145% tariff on Chinese imports took effect. Clients were canceling orders for toys from Huntar Company Inc.'s factory in Guangdong Province, China. But Huntar CEO Jason Cheung, 45, had already halted production at the 600,000-square-foot facility in Shaoguan. He saw the tariff for what it was: an existential threat to his company, which manufactures educational toys bound for the shelves of Walmart and Target, like Learning Resources Inc's Numberblocks, which help teach kids math. "I needed to start saving money as soon as possible," Cheung said. In the four weeks since, he has cut production by 60% to 70%, laid off a third of the factory's 400 Chinese workers, and reduced hours and wages to those still employed. Now, he's pursuing a frantic, long-shot effort to move his operation to Vietnam before the company his dad founded 42 years ago runs out of money. He figures he has about a month. Huntar's plight typifies a crisis facing countless factories in China, where about 80% of toys sold in the U.S. are manufactured, according to trade group The Toy Association. New orders have fallen sharply amid a brutal trade war with the United States that threatens to devastate the sector in both countries. Huntar is also unique in one key way: based in the U.S., it straddles both sides of the trade war. On paper, Cheung is Trump's bogeyman, the Chinese factory owner taking American jobs. But he's also the U.S. small business owner tariffs were meant to protect. He's the American son of a Chinese immigrant, running a second-generation family-owned business that employs 15 people in the U.S. - people who would lose their jobs if Huntar falters. Trump has said tariffs will incentivize companies to reshore manufacturing, or, at least, drive it out of China. Huntar illustrates why economists say that's unlikely: a dearth of facilities and workers with toy making expertise in other countries; heavy equipment that's hard to move and would cost millions of dollars to replace; and, most acutely, no time to solve those hurdles before coffers run dry. More likely, factories like Cheung's will simply shut down, a prospect that drove Beijing to the negotiating table with U.S. officials in Geneva over the weekend, three sources familiar with the Chinese government's thinking told Reuters. Realistically, China cannot replace U.S. market demand for product categories like toys, furniture, and textiles, which are already feeling the impact of tariffs, one of the officials said. As trade talks began, Trump signaled he was open to cutting China tariffs to 80%. That wouldn't help Huntar, Cheung says, noting that any tariff rate over about 50% will make survival difficult. On a practical level, there's no difference between 80% and the 145% tariffs he's currently facing. Crises have hit Huntar before, Cheung says, but not like this. The 2008 recession brought a steady slowdown, one he could plan around. And the COVID pandemic dealt a blow, but his volume of production remained high enough to keep him afloat through a temporary slump. This time, he says, "our manufacturing business essentially halted overnight." Cheung is starting to feel like his only hope is just that - hope. "I refresh my 'tariff' Google search five or six times a day, hoping something's changed," he says. A DREAM AND A LUCKY DESK Huntar manufactures toys for U.S., Canadian and European sellers, like Learning Resources Inc and Play-a-Maze, which distribute them to retailers or sell directly to consumers. It also makes its own educational toys under its Popular Playthings brand, which it has had to stop shipping to the U.S., costing the company hundreds of thousands of dollars so far, Cheung estimates. American-owned factories in China are uncommon, as Chinese law makes it difficult and costly for foreign entities to own them, says attorney Dan Harris, a partner at Harris Sliwoski who focuses on international manufacturing law. But Huntar has roots in a business Cheung's father set up in 1983, a few years after escaping communist China and settling in California's Bay Area. Cheung grew up in San Francisco's Inner Richmond district, he says, in a small house whose broken door you could simply kick open. His father would sell clothes and furniture at a flea market to augment his janitor's wages, with Cheung tagging along, bored to tears. As the operation matured, Cheung's father set up a factory in China, to exert more control over quality. Cheung, who joined the company in 2004, still uses the desk his father set up in their living room decades ago. "We think maybe it's lucky or something," he says. The last few weeks have been anything but lucky. The factory is sitting on $750,000 in canceled shipments - value Cheung couldn't fully recover even if the trade war ended, because his shipping costs would surely spike as factories raced to clear backlogs. That's what happened after COVID, Cheung recalls, when shipping costs ballooned from $2,000 per container to more than $20,000. "They don't deserve this," said Rick Woldenberg, CEO of toy company Learning Resources, and a client of Cheung's since his father was in charge more than 20 years ago. Woldenberg has canceled future production in China, saying his annual tariffs would jump from $2 million to $100 million. "It's not who we want to be," Woldenberg said, "but they know we have no choice." According to an April survey by the Toy Association, more than 45% of small and mid-sized toy companies in the U.S. say China tariffs will put them out of business within weeks or months. Learning Resources, which employs 500 people in the U.S. and manufactures 60% of its products in China, has sued the U.S. government, asking a federal judge to stop tariffs from taking effect. "If nothing changes, we'll be crippled," Woldenberg said. 'CANNIBALIZE MYSELF' Cheung has been scouring his contact list, calling factories in Vietnam in hopes of finding a new home for Huntar. Moving to the U.S. is out of the question. Wages here are so high that manufacturing stateside would be even more expensive than staying in China and absorbing the tariffs, Cheung says. Even in Vietnam, financial and logistical hurdles are proving too tall. Few factories have enough space to handle his operation, and competition is high among others looking to move. Even if he found a good spot, Cheung would have to train a new staff and run safety and quality control checks that could easily take months. There's also the question of infrastructure. Cheung's factory is solar-powered, helping ensure profitability in a thin-margin business. It has specific HVAC and wastewater systems designed to negate the environmental risks of spray paint and chemicals used to decorate toys. And it owns more than 30 injection machines, each weighing several tons, which craft toys by pumping molten plastic to steel casings. These likely can't be moved, and Cheung says he's not sure where he'd find the money - well over $1 million - to buy new ones. A more realistic move would be to outsource certain operations and shutter others. Cheung could cut losses by finding a Vietnamese factory to take Huntar's Popular Playthings proprietary line, while ditching the business of manufacturing toys for third party clients. Going all-in - that is, keeping his factory intact in China in hopes the trade war is resolved - is a higher-risk, higher-reward gambit. If tariffs came down quickly, his company would survive, but if they didn't, he'd lose everything. The costs of keeping a large factory running, and paying employees, while producing just a fraction of his normal output, would sink him within several weeks, he says. "I'm approaching this moment where I have to choose basically to cannibalize myself," he says. It's hard to pare down a business that once embodied the American dream. Cheung's father came to the U.S. in 1978, after escaping China by swimming across the Shenzhen River into Hong Kong - all for a shot at freedom. He "wanted to see this business continue through me and hopefully his grandkids," Cheung says. His dad, he says, is feeling hopeless these days. Though grateful for the life he built here, America's sheen as a land of milk and honey has worn off. "His idea of the U.S. has definitely changed," Cheung says. (Reporting by Nicholas P. Brown. Editing by Vanessa O'Connell and Michael Learmonth)

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This US-owned factory in China made toys for Walmart. Tariffs put it on life support

This US-owned factory in China made toys for Walmart. Tariffs put it on life support By Nicholas P. Brown (Reuters) -The emails started pour...

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Devers’ homer boosts Giolito to first win since 2023 as Red Sox beat Royals 3-1

Devers' homer boosts Giolito to first win since 2023 as Red Sox beat Royals 3-1

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Rafael Devers' 440-foot homer snapped a 1-1 tie and Lucas Giolito pitched into the seventh inning for his first win since 2023 as the Boston Red Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 3-1 on Sunday. Giolito (1-1) allowed two singles and one unearned run in 6 2/3 innings to get his first win for Boston. He missed last season with a partially torn elbow ligament, and his last victory was for Cleveland on Sept. 15, 2023. Devers — again starting at designated hitter two days after Red Sox homer John Henry flew to Kansas Cityto meet with the disgruntled sluggerover his refusal to play first base — followed up his 4-for-4 performance on Saturday with a monster homer. With one out and a runner on first in the sixth,Devers blasted Seth Lugo's first pitchto dead center, his seventh longball of the year. In the third inning, Giolito threw wildly past third on Kyle Isbel's bunt, allowing Drew Waters to score. He faced the minimum after that. Wilyer Abreu tied it in the fourth with his 10th homer, a 430-foot shot to right. Abreu had three hits, snapping an 0-for-13 slide. Aroldis Chapman pitched a scoreless ninth for his sixth save. Lugo (3-4) allowed three runs in six innings for his fifth straight quality start. Kansas City had four hits, all singles, and lost consecutive games for the first time since a six-game skid from April 14-19. Key moment With two on and nobody out in the third, Giolito escaped the jam by getting two groundouts sandwiched around a strikeout of Bobby Witt Jr. Key stat Devers has reached safely in eight of his last nine plate appearances. Up next Red Sox RHP Tanner Houck (0-2, 6.10 ERA) opposes Tigers RHP Jackson Jobe (2-0, 4.88) at Detroit on Monday. Royals RHP Michael Wacha (2-4, 2.98) faces the Astros at Houston on Tuesday. ___ AP MLB:https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

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Devers’ homer boosts Giolito to first win since 2023 as Red Sox beat Royals 3-1

Devers' homer boosts Giolito to first win since 2023 as Red Sox beat Royals 3-1 KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Rafael Devers' 440-foot home...

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WNBA Stars Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley welcome daughter

WNBA Stars Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley welcome daughter

WNBA all-stars Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley have apparently welcomed their first child together. Their daugher, Jana Christine Vandersloot Quigley, was born on April 8, according to People magazine. "We are over the moon to welcome our baby girl to the world," Vandersloot and Quigly, told People in an exclusive interview. "We have been dreaming of this moment for a long time, and it's better than we could have ever imagined!" Representatives for the couple did not immediately reply to a request for comment to confirm the news of their daughter's birth. Photos shared with People show the family, including their dog, posing at the foot of a white bed. Vandersloot and Quigleywere married in 2018, years after meeting on a flight home from Slovakia at the conclusion of the 2012-2013 Euroleague season, People reported. They were both en route to Chicago to prepare for the upcoming WNBA season with the Sky. 2013 marked Quigley's debut season with the Chicago Sky, where she remained until 2022. She opted out to sit out the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Vandersloot has been playing for the Sky since 2011, save for two seasons in New York in 2023 and 2024.

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WNBA Stars Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley welcome daughter

WNBA Stars Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley welcome daughter WNBA all-stars Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley have apparently wel...

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