Israeli strike may have killed dual national soldier Edan Alexander

The spokesperson for the Al-Qassam Brigades, Abu Obeida, stated that communication has been lost with the unit responsible for holding Israeli-American soldier Edan Alexander following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza. According to the militant wing of Hamas, efforts to reestablish contact are ongoing.

Obeida suggested that the Israeli military may be intentionally targeting sites with dual-national captives to ease diplomatic pressure while continuing its military campaign in Gaza. In a message posted on Telegram, he accused Israel of using these attacks to further what he called a “genocidal war.”

At the same time, Al-Qassam released a chilling video directed at the families of Israeli hostages, warning: “Prepare yourselves. Your sons will soon return in black coffins,” and blamed Israeli leaders for signing “the death warrant” of the captives.

The development follows a video released days earlier in which Alexander appealed directly to former U.S. President Donald Trump to help secure his release, claiming that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had forsaken him and other prisoners. This was his second appearance in captivity, the first being in November 2024, when he voiced fears of ending up like another American captive, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, reportedly killed by Israeli strikes.

Previously, Hamas had agreed to release Alexander and the remains of four others under a U.S.-brokered proposal. However, that offer collapsed when Israel resumed military operations after breaking a ceasefire agreement.

The Israeli military reignited its offensive on March 18, ending a truce that began on January 19. The renewed campaign has resulted in heavy civilian casualties in Gaza, with thousands dead and injured. Despite widespread international condemnation, Washington has continued its support for Israel and was reportedly informed in advance of the operations.

Since October 2023, over 50,000 Palestinians—mostly women and children—have been killed, more than 116,000 wounded, and 14,000 remain missing. In response, the International Criminal Court in November 2024 issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Additionally, Israel is facing genocide charges at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.