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The Trump administration held direct negotiations with senior Hamas officials in Qatar in an effort to secure the release of U.S.-Israeli hostages Edan Alexander, the late Omer Neutra, the late Itay Chen and the late couple Gad Haggai and Judy Weinstein-Haggai.
Israel, which was informed before the talks began, said the negotiations did not yield a breakthrough. The White House, however, confirmed "ongoing talks and discussions,” but declined to disclose any further details as there are “American lives at stake."
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From top left clockwise: Israeli American hostages Judi Weinstein-Haggai, Gad Haggai, Edan Alexander, Itay Chen, Omer Neutra
These five hostages remain the focus of U.S. diplomatic efforts, with hopes that their release could pave the way for a broader deal securing the freedom of additional Israeli captives.
Edan Alexander
Of the five, Edan Alexander is the only hostage confirmed to be alive. Alexander, 20, grew up in Tenafly, New Jersey, and immigrated to Israel at 18 to enlist in the Golani Brigade. He lived with his grandparents in Tel Aviv and on Kibbutz Hatzor, which hosted his military cohort. A former competitive swimmer and extreme sports enthusiast, he is the eldest son of Yael and Adi Alexander, and brother to Mika and Roy.
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Israeli American hostage Edan Alexander features in a Hamas propaganda video
On October 7, Alexander was eligible for leave to spend time with his visiting mother, a right granted to lone soldiers. However, he chose to stay on base so the burden of weekend guard duty wouldn't fall solely on his comrades.
During the attack, he managed to call his mother, telling her that a shrapnel fragment had struck his helmet but that he was unharmed. In November, Hamas released a video showing Alexander delivering a scripted message 421 days into his captivity: "Every day here feels like an eternity, and the pain from inside grows from day to day."
Omer Neutra
Captain Omer Neutra, 22, from Long Island, commanded Tank No. 3 on the morning of October 7. He and his crew—Nimrod Cohen, Oz Daniel and Shaked Dahan—were stationed at the White House military post near Nir Oz. When the attack began, they rushed to their tank and engaged in combat. The vehicle, believed to have been faulty, was hit and disabled. A widely circulated image of a burning tank in Hamas-controlled media that morning was later identified as theirs—the only tank from which the entire crew was abducted.
For over a year, Neutra’s family had no confirmation of his fate until December 2024, when they were informed that he had been killed on October 7. Dahan’s body was recovered and buried, but Neutra and Daniel remain missing. The only survivor from the crew is Nimrod Cohen, who remains in captivity.
Neutra, the son of Orna and Ronen and brother to Daniel, was raised in Long Island, where he was an active member of the Conservative Jewish youth movement. In his senior year, he served as regional president of the organization in New York.
His deep connection to Israel led him to participate in a gap-year program at the Galil Elyon pre-military academy before making Aliyah. He later volunteered for the Armored Corps and pursued officer training, despite not being obligated to serve. A passionate athlete, he was also known for his love of cats.
Itay Chen
Staff Sergeant Itay Chen, 20, from Netanya, was killed and taken hostage while fighting alongside his tank crew from the 77th Battalion in Nahal Oz. When the attack began, he informed his parents about the rocket barrages and his imminent deployment. That was their last contact with him.
For 158 days, Chen and his crew were listed as missing in action until it was confirmed that they had been taken hostage. His fellow crew members, Captain Daniel Perez and Matan Angrest, were also captured, while their fourth comrade, Tomer Leibovitz, was killed but not abducted.
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Chen, an American citizen through his father, Ruby, and a German citizen through his mother, Hagit, was the middle of three siblings, younger than Uri and older than Alon. In high school, he enjoyed hiking and served as a youth field guide. Before enlisting, he played competitive basketball.
Despite confirmation of his death, his family has chosen not to hold a formal mourning period until his remains are returned. They have launched an international campaign advocating for hostage releases, meeting with diplomats and traveling multiple times to both the White House and Doha, Qatar.
Gad Haggai and Judi Weinstein-Haggai
Gad Haggai, 73, and Judi Weinstein-Haggai, 70, were abducted from their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz. On December 22, 2023, the kibbutz announced that Gad had been killed during the attack. A week later, on December 28, it was confirmed that Judi had also been murdered that same morning. The couple is survived by four children and seven grandchildren.
Originally from Canada, Judi moved to Israel at 24, volunteering at Kibbutz Ein HaShofet, where she met Gad. She taught English at the regional school for years and later became a mindfulness instructor, helping children and adults manage anxiety in the conflict-ridden Gaza border region. A poet and yoga teacher, she began each morning by posting a haiku on Facebook—the last was on October 7. She was set to begin a new role using puppet therapy with children at Sha’ar HaNegev school after the High Holiday season.
On the morning of the attack, the couple had gone for a walk. At 7:05 a.m., Judi called a kibbutz member, a volunteer paramedic, and reported that she and Gad had been shot. The paramedic attempted to dispatch an ambulance, but Hamas terrorists intercepted it and set it on fire.
Gad’s children recognized his body being dragged into Gaza in a Hamas propaganda video on October 7, but authorities initially could not confirm his death. Gad, who had a lifelong passion for music, moved to Nir Oz with Judi after being offered a job managing the kibbutz dining hall.