CAIRO − Hamas will release the Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander held in Gaza as a part of efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement and allow humanitarian aid to enter the besieged enclave, a senior Hamas official told Reuters on May 11.

Freeing Alexander, believed to be the last surviving American hostage held by the militant Palestinian group, comes ahead of U.S. President Trump's visit to the Middle East this week.

Hamas on Tuesday (May 13) rejected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's claim that military pressure had helped secure the release of US-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander from Ga