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Hamas Armed Wing Says Fate of Israeli-American Hostage Edan Alexander Unknown

Signs and a photograph of Edan Alexander, the American-Israeli and Israel Defense Forces soldier taken hostage during the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas, stand outside a Jewish community center in Alexander’s home town of Tenafly, New Jersey, US, December 14, 2024. REUTERS/Stephani Spindel/File
Signs and a photograph of Edan Alexander, the American-Israeli and Israel Defense Forces soldier taken hostage during the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas, stand outside a Jewish community center in Alexander’s home town of Tenafly, New Jersey, US, December 14, 2024. REUTERS/Stephani Spindel/File
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Hamas Armed Wing Says Fate of Israeli-American Hostage Edan Alexander Unknown

Signs and a photograph of Edan Alexander, the American-Israeli and Israel Defense Forces soldier taken hostage during the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas, stand outside a Jewish community center in Alexander’s home town of Tenafly, New Jersey, US, December 14, 2024. REUTERS/Stephani Spindel/File
Signs and a photograph of Edan Alexander, the American-Israeli and Israel Defense Forces soldier taken hostage during the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas, stand outside a Jewish community center in Alexander’s home town of Tenafly, New Jersey, US, December 14, 2024. REUTERS/Stephani Spindel/File

Hamas's armed wing said on Saturday the fate of Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander was unknown after the group found the guard who was holding the hostage killed.

On Tuesday, Hamas said it had lost contact with a group of its members holding Alexander in Gaza after the Israeli army attacked the place where the militants were holding him.

Alexander is a New Jersey native and a 21-year-old soldier in the Israeli army.

"We are trying to protect all the hostages and preserve their lives ... but their lives are in danger because of the criminal bombings by the enemy's army," the armed-wing Al-Qassam Brigades's spokesperson, Abu Ubaida, said, reiterating an accusation that Israel's army is to blame for the killing of hostages in the enclave, Reuters reported.

Israel has accused Hamas of killing hostages in its custody.

"The fate of the prisoner (hostage) and the rest of the captors remains unknown," Abu Ubaida added.

There was no immediate comment by the Israeli army on Hamas's statement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to give a statement later on Saturday.

The release of Alexander was at the center of earlier talks held between Hamas leaders and US hostage negotiator Adam Boehler last month.

President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff told reporters at the White House in March that gaining the release of Alexander, believed to be the last living American hostage held by Hamas in Gaza, was a "top priority".

Hamas so far released 38 hostages under a brief ceasefire that began on January 19.

Israel resumed its offensive in Gaza in March after ceasefire talks stalled, with both sides blaming one another for the failure to reach an agreement.

Israel says its offensive in Gaza aims to release the remaining 59 hostages, while Hamas insists it will free hostages only as part of a deal to end the war and has rejected demands to lay down its arms.

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Arab World

Power Supply across Kurdistan Drops Due to Technical Issue at Iraq's Khor Mor Gas Field

Representation photo: This file photo taken on October 17, 2017 shows excess flammable gasses burning from gas flares at the Bai Hassan oil field, west of the multi-ethnic northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk. (AFP)
Representation photo: This file photo taken on October 17, 2017 shows excess flammable gasses burning from gas flares at the Bai Hassan oil field, west of the multi-ethnic northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk. (AFP)
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Power Supply across Kurdistan Drops Due to Technical Issue at Iraq's Khor Mor Gas Field

Representation photo: This file photo taken on October 17, 2017 shows excess flammable gasses burning from gas flares at the Bai Hassan oil field, west of the multi-ethnic northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk. (AFP)
Representation photo: This file photo taken on October 17, 2017 shows excess flammable gasses burning from gas flares at the Bai Hassan oil field, west of the multi-ethnic northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk. (AFP)

Electricity supply across Kurdistan dropped by 1,000 megawatts due to a "technical issue” at Khor Mor gas field, one of the largest in the Kurdish region, the Kurdish ministry of electricity said on Thursday.

The Ministry of Natural Resources, together with the UAE's Dana ‌Gas teams, which ‌jointly operate ‌the ⁠field, are making efforts ‌to address the problem and restore stability, the ministry of electricity said.

A source at the field also said the technical glitch is under repair and expected to be resolved ⁠in a few hours, reported Reuters.

The ministry's statement did ‌not elaborate on what ‍the technical issue ‍was, but said the supply ‍of 250 million standard cubic feet of gas has been reduced.

In November, a rocket hit a storage tank at the gas field, leading to a shutdown in production and extensive power cuts. ⁠Operations resumed days later.

The attack was the most significant since a series of drone attacks in July hit oilfields and cut production from the region by around 150,000 barrels per day.

The Kurdistan Regional Government exercises autonomy in northern Iraq, where US companies have significant investments in energy.

Arab World

Russia Mediating between Syria, Israel to Reach Security Agreement

Israeli military vehicles return from the buffer zone with Syria, near the Druze village of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights on Dec. 10, 2024. (AFP via Getty Images)
Israeli military vehicles return from the buffer zone with Syria, near the Druze village of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights on Dec. 10, 2024. (AFP via Getty Images)
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Russia Mediating between Syria, Israel to Reach Security Agreement

Israeli military vehicles return from the buffer zone with Syria, near the Druze village of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights on Dec. 10, 2024. (AFP via Getty Images)
Israeli military vehicles return from the buffer zone with Syria, near the Druze village of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights on Dec. 10, 2024. (AFP via Getty Images)

Political sources in Tel Aviv revealed that Russia is secretly mediating between Syria and Israel to reach a security agreement between them with the United States' blessing.

Israel's Kan 11 state radio said Azerbaijan was hosting and leading meetings and discussions with Syrian and Israeli officials visiting Baku.

An informed security source said Moscow and Damascus were working on bolstering their relations, reported Kan. Russia last month dispatched soldiers and equipment to Syria's coastal Latakia region.

The sources revealed that Israel prefers that Russia, not Türkiye, consolidate its position in Syria.

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani was in Moscow this week where he held talks with President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday and his counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday.

Shaibani said the visit sought to elevate relations between Syria and Russia to the strategic level.

Putin had on October 15 welcomed Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Moscow with the leaders stressing the importance of bolstering strategic and political ties, as well as cooperation in various fields.

Israel enjoys warm ties with Russia and is trying to reach an understanding with it over dividing interests in Syria, while Tel Aviv has been wary of Ankara's influence.

Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have held four long telephone calls since May to discuss several issues, including Syria.

Following one of the phone calls in May, a Syrian Foreign Ministry statement said Putin had stressed during his meetings with Syrian officials Russia's "categorical rejection" of Israeli meddling or attempts to divide Syria.

He underscored Moscow's commitment in supporting Syria's reconstruction and efforts to restore stability.

In Tel Aviv, Israeli media spoke about "joint interests with Moscow in Syria to counter Turkish influence."

The Maariv daily said the Russians enjoy good relations with Türkiye and Israel and are keen on making sure they don't deteriorate.

At the same time, Russia wants to maintain its positions in Syria with Ankara and Tel Aviv's approval and is doing so in coordination with them, as well as with Damascus.

The US has also been trying to strike security understandings between Syria and Israel and has not opposed positive contributions from other parties, including Russia.

Michael Harari, an expert on Syria and the Middle East, said Sharaa was wisely leading Syria, allowing it to be embraced by the region and international community.

Israel, meanwhile, must not appear as though it wants chaos to persist in Syria, he wrote in Maariv.

For it to well manage its interests, it must strike a security deal with Damascus, he urged, explaining that it should translate its military gains in the latest war to political ones.

To do so, it can no longer maintain its current policy towards Syria, he added.

Arab World

Syria Kurds Chief Says 'All Efforts' Being Made to Salvage Deal with Damascus

Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Kurdish-led and US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces speaks during an interview with the Associated Press, in the northeastern city of Hassakeh, Syria, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Hogir Al Abdo)
Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Kurdish-led and US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces speaks during an interview with the Associated Press, in the northeastern city of Hassakeh, Syria, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Hogir Al Abdo)
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Syria Kurds Chief Says 'All Efforts' Being Made to Salvage Deal with Damascus

Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Kurdish-led and US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces speaks during an interview with the Associated Press, in the northeastern city of Hassakeh, Syria, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Hogir Al Abdo)
Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Kurdish-led and US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces speaks during an interview with the Associated Press, in the northeastern city of Hassakeh, Syria, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Hogir Al Abdo)

Syrian Kurdish leader Mazloum Abdi said Thursday that "all efforts" were being made to prevent the collapse of talks on an agreement with Damascus to integrate his forces into the central government.

The remarks came days after Aleppo saw deadly clashes between the two sides before their respective leaders ordered a ceasefire, AFP said.

In March, Abdi signed a deal with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to merge the Kurds' semi-autonomous administration into the government by year's end, but differences have held up its implementation.

Abdi said the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the Kurds' de facto army, remained committed to the deal, adding in a statement that the two sides were working towards "mutual understanding" on military integration and counter-terrorism, and pledging further meetings with Damascus.

Downplaying the year-end deadline, he said the deal "did not specify a time limit for its ending or for the return to military solutions".

He added that "all efforts are being made to prevent the collapse of this process" and that he considered failure unlikely.

Abdi also repeated the SDF's demand for decentralization, which has been rejected by Syria's authorities, who took power after ousting longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad last year.

Türkiye, an important ally of Syria's new leaders, sees the presence of Kurdish forces on its border as a security threat.

In Damascus this week, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stressed the importance of the Kurds' integration, having warned the week before that patience with the SDF "is running out".

The SDF control large swathes of the country's oil-rich north and northeast, and with the support of a US-led international coalition, were integral to the territorial defeat of the ISIS group in Syria in 2019.

Syria last month joined the anti-ISIS coalition and has announced operations against the extremist group in recent days.