Hostage Pleads for Trump's Intervention in Hamas Captivity

Hamas released a video of an Israeli-American hostage, Edan Alexander, urging U.S. President-elect Trump for help. Hostages from an attack on Israel are still held in Gaza. Efforts for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange are underway with talks expected in Cairo involving Hamas leaders and Egyptian officials.

In a video released by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, Edan Alexander, an Israeli-American hostage, is seen pleading for the intervention of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to secure his release. The video surfaced on Saturday without any immediate reaction from Alexander's family or Israeli authorities, who have previously criticized such videos as psychological warfare tactics.

Currently, approximately 101 hostages, both foreign and Israeli nationals, remain held incommunicado in Gaza, with about half believed to still be alive. Nearly all of these individuals were abducted during a Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.

As the situation unfolds, Hamas leaders are anticipated to arrive in Cairo for discussions with Egyptian officials. These talks aim to explore the potential for a ceasefire and a deal that could lead to the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

(With inputs from agencies.)