Hamas has accused the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) of deliberately targeting dual-citizen prisoners during its latest round of airstrikes. Their main concern? Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old Israeli-American soldier who’s been held hostage for over 550 days.
Alexander was last seen in a video released by Hamas just last week. The footage showed the New Jersey native looking distressed and calling on former US President Donald Trump to help him. He also warned not to trust Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Hamas claims it has now lost contact with the people holding Alexander due to ongoing Israeli attacks.
Hamas leaders say this might not be a coincidence. They believe the Israeli army could be purposely trying to kill Alexander and other dual-national captives to ease pressure during talks and avoid further international backlash. A spokesperson for Hamas’ military wing, Abu Obeida, accused Israel of trying to “get rid of the problem” instead of solving it.
The group didn’t give any proof for these claims, and they haven’t said where exactly Alexander is being held. Still, tensions are clearly rising. The Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ armed wing, even issued a chilling warning to the families of remaining hostages, saying their loved ones could “return in black coffins” if the military offensive continues.
Alexander has become a key figure in hostage talks between Hamas, Israel, and the US. According to Al Jazeera, he’s being used as leverage against Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government. Any harm to him, they say, could derail hopes for a ceasefire.
Israel has denied targeting any locations where hostages might be held. Officials insist their strikes are focused on military targets, not prisoners. Meanwhile, a recent ceasefire proposal included Alexander’s release on day one, but Hamas rejected it.
Out of the 251 hostages taken in the October 2023 attack, 59 are still in Gaza. Only 24 are believed to be alive. Alexander may be the last confirmed living US citizen among them.
