President Donald Trump on Tuesday will meet Edan Alexander, who was believed to be the last surviving U.S. hostage held by Palestinian terrorists in Gaza when the Israeli-American was handed over by Hamas in May, the White House said Monday.
Tuesday marks the second anniversary of Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel in which 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 taken hostage.
Trump's meeting with Alexander comes as the U.S. president made public a proposal last week for Gaza's future, including ending Israel's war in the enclave. The meeting was scheduled for 3 p.m. ET on Tuesday at the White House.
Delegations from Israel and Hamas held indirect negotiations in Egypt on Monday on Trump's plan, wrestling with contentious issues such as demands that Israel withdraw and Hamas disarm.
Israel and Hamas have both endorsed the overall principles behind Trump's plan, which has been backed by Arab and Western powers. The proposal has received criticism from rights advocates over the idea of a transitional governance panel that would report to a board headed by Trump and include Tony Blair, the former British prime minister infamous for his involvement in the invasion of Iraq that was premised on false claims of Iraq having weapons of mass destruction.
Trump has called for negotiations to take place swiftly towards a final deal. Trump vowed a quick end to the war upon taking office.
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