Trump’s Middle East envoy and envoy on hostages tell families of Israelis still held in the Gaza Strip that after the return of Edan Alexander, the prospects for a hostage deal have increased.

By World Israel News Staff

Two senior officials from the Trump administration expressed guarded optimism regarding the prospects for a comprehensive hostage deal between Israel and Hamas following the release of 21-year-old dual U.S.-Israeli citizen Edan Alexander on Monday.

Less than 24 hours after Alexander’s release, President Donald Trump’s envoy for hostages, Adam Boehler, and the president’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, visited Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, where they met with relatives of some of the 58 captives still held in the Gaza Strip.

During the meeting, Witkoff and Boehler said Hamas’ decision to release Alexander unconditionally as a goodwill gesture to the U.S. pointed to a greater willingness by the terror group to reach a compromise.

The two envoys are slated to travel to Doha, Qatar, for brokered talks aimed at using the momentum created by Alexander’s release to achieve a breakthrough between Israel and Hamas.

According to a statement by the Hostages Families Forum, Witkoff and Boehler met with relatives of the hostages for close to two hours.

  Trump envoy Steve Witkoff in his own words – opinion

Witkoff is said to have “assured the families that if he and Adam Boehler didn’t believe there was a genuine chance for progress in negotiations, they wouldn’t be making the trip to Doha.”

Trump’s Middle East envoy also emphasized that the United States “will accept nothing less than the return of everyone, as this is the president’s mission.”

While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has signaled recently that Israel is poised to implement a plan approved by the Security Cabinet to seize control of the Gaza Strip and hold it permanently, Witkoff said, according to the Forum, that  “everyone would prefer to see a diplomatic solution, noting that most captivity survivors have been released through diplomatic means.”


Israeli airstrikes rock Houthi-controlled ports in Yemen

By Lauren Marcus, World Israel News

Israeli airstrikes targeted three ports in Yemen controlled by the Houthis, two days after the terror group fired a missile at the Jewish State that sent millions of Israelis scrambling to bomb shelters.

While that missile was intercepted, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz pledged that the attack would be met with strong retaliation by Israel.

“Israeli aggression aircraft launched multiple air raids on Al Hudaydah Province,” a Houthi source told a Yemeni news outlet early Monday morning, without providing details on the number of casualties or damage inflicted in the attack.

Hours earlier, on late Sunday evening, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee released an urgent evacuation notice for three sites, all along the Red Sea coastline in western Yemen.

“Warning to all those present at the seaports under the control of the Houthi regime: Ras Isa port, Al Hudaydah port, and Salif port,” Adraee wrote on his official X account.

“This is an urgent and important warning. Due to the Houthi regime’s use of these ports for its operations, we urge everyone in these areas to evacuate immediately to ensure your safety,” the post added.

Last Sunday, a Houthi-launched missile struck the grounds of Ben-Gurion Airport in central Israel.

The strike triggered widespread cancellations of flights in and out of Israel. The flight suspensions came just weeks after several international airlines had resumed service following the October 7th attacks.

Two days later, the IDF launched a massive attack on Yemen’s Sana’a airport, completely disabling the transportation hub.

The Trump administration recently announced a ceasefire between Washington and the Houthis.

Shortly after the truce was announced, a senior Houthi spokesman clarified that the truce excluded Israel.

“To all Zionists, from now on, stay in your shelters or leave your country immediately, because your failed government will no longer be able to protect you,” Houthi Supreme Political Council president Mahdi al-Mashat said in a speech last week.

“The aggressor will realize that the price he will pay is high, and no aggression will deter us from our decision to support Gaza until the aggression stops and the siege is lifted.”


Witkoff was meant to travel to Saudi Arabia with Trump directly, but then decided to come to Israel once Edab Alexander’s release was secured.

'59 more to go': An illustrative image shows US Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (photo credit: LIOR SEGEV, REUTERS/EVELYN HOCKSTEIN, REUTERS/Nathan Howard)
’59 more to go’: An illustrative image shows US Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
(photo credit: LIOR SEGEV, REUTERS/EVELYN HOCKSTEIN, REUTERS/Nathan Howard)
US Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff will arrive in Israel on Monday, where he will meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu around noon.

Witkoff will also meet with Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and additional Israeli officials.

Netanyahu will request to meet for two to three hours due to recent developments, mainly the expected release of Israel-American hostage Edan Alexander.

Witkoff was meant to travel to Saudi Arabia directly with US President Donald Trump, but then decided to arrive in Israel once Alexander’s release was agreed upon.

Earlier on Monday, the Prime Minister’s Office commented on the new developments, saying that Israel was able to secure the release of Alexander without committing to a ceasefire due to the support of the United States and IDF military pressure in the Gaza Strip.

 Hostage Edan Alexander in a Hamas propaganda video, April 13, 2025. (credit: COURTESY HOSTAGE FAMILY FORUM)Enlrage image
Hostage Edan Alexander in a Hamas propaganda video, April 13, 2025. (credit: COURTESY HOSTAGE FAMILY FORUM)

“The expected release of IDF soldier Edan Alexander without anything in return will be possible due to the vigorous policy that we have led with the backing of President Trump, and thanks to the military pressure of IDF soldiers in the Gaza Strip,” the office stated.

“Israel has not committed to a ceasefire of any kind or the release of terrorists, but only to a safe corridor that will allow for the release of Edan.”

“We are in the midst of critical days in which Hamas has been presented with a deal that would enable the release of our hostages. The negotiations will continue under fire, during preparations for an intensification of the fighting,” the office concluded.

Hamas, Trump, and Netanyahu approve Alexander’s release

Hamas approved the release of Alexander on Sunday night, which was promptly confirmed by Trump and Netanyahu.

Trump’s hostage envoy, Adam Boehler, is traveling to Israel with Edan Alexander’s parents to Israel to meet their son after his release from Hamas captivity.