TEL AVIV, May 11. /TASS/. Israeli has received a notification from the United States that the radical Palestinian movement Hamas is ready to release one of the hostages held in the Gaza Strip as a gesture of goodwill, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
"The United States has notified Israel of Hamas' intention to release soldier Idan Alexander unilaterally as a gesture of goodwill to the American side, without any conditions or demands," the statement said.
"According to Washington's assessment, this step may become a prologue to the resumption of negotiations on the return of hostages based on the initial plan of [US Special Envoy Steven] Witkoff, which Israel has already approved. Israel is ready to implement this scenario," the office added.
It said the negotiations will continue with fighting unrelenting in the Gaza Strip. "According to the established policy, negotiations will be conducted even under fire, with a firm commitment to achieving all military and national goals," the text says.
Earlier on May 11, Hamas confirmed that it would release Edan Alexander, who holds Israeli and US citizenship. At the same time, the movement stressed that the release of the prisoner should become "a part of the measures taken to ensure a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip," including the "opening of all checkpoints" on the border with the enclave and the importation of humanitarian aid there.