Hamas says it lost contact with fighters holding Israeli soldier

Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida has revealed that it has lost contact with the fighters holding Israeli soldier Edan Alexander, following what he said was a direct Israeli air strike on their position.

“We lost contact with the group capturing soldier Edan Alexander after a direct bombardment targeted their location,” Abu Obeida said in a statement.

He accused the Israeli military of using these attacks to deflect attention from sensitive ceasefire negotiations, suggesting it was part of a broader strategy: “We estimate that the occupation army is deliberately trying to relieve the pressure of the dual-citizen prisoners’ file in order to continue its war of extermination.”

On Saturday last week Hamas released a video showing signs of life from Edan Alexander, a US-Israeli held captive in Gaza.

Alexander, a 21-year-old, was serving as a lone soldier near the Gaza frontier when the war erupted on 7 October 2023.