On Sunday, Egypt and Qatar welcomed the announcement by the Palestinian movement Hamas of its agreement to release detained Israeli soldier Idan Alexander, who holds dual American citizenship.

A joint Egyptian-Qatari statement issued by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry described this step as "a goodwill gesture to return the parties to the negotiating table and establish a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip."

The statement affirmed that Hamas' agreement to release the Israeli-American soldier Idan Alexander is "an encouraging step toward the release of prisoners and detainees, ensuring the safe and unimpeded flow of aid, and addressing the dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza."

It further emphasized that Egypt and Qatar "stress the urgent need to end the war on Gaza to prevent further humanitarian repercussions and move forward with sincere will and good faith toward achieving a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in the region."

Both nations reiterated their commitment to continuing mediation efforts in Gaza in coordination with the United States to alleviate civilian suffering and create conditions conducive to a full de-escalation, ultimately leading to an end to the war and the humanitarian catastrophe it has caused.

Earlier, Hamas announced that it would release the detained Israeli-American soldier Idan Alexander. In a statement, the group said:

"As part of the mediation efforts by our brotherly intermediaries to secure a ceasefire, Hamas has engaged in communications with the U.S. administration in recent days. The movement has demonstrated significant flexibility and will release the dual-national Israeli-American soldier Idan Alexander as part of ongoing steps toward a ceasefire, reopening crossings, and facilitating the entry of aid and relief into the Gaza Strip."