Hamas says it will release a US-Israeli hostage and 4 bodies, but Israel expresses immediate doubt

JERUSALEM (AP) — Palestinian militant group Hamas said Friday that it has accepted a proposal from mediators to release one living American-Israeli hostage and the bodies of four dual nationals who had died in captivity. The Israeli prime minister's office cast doubt on the offer, accusing Hamas of trying to manipulate talks underway in Qatar on the next stage of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire.

Hamas, which rules over what remains of the Gaza Strip, didn't immediately specify when the release of soldier Edan Alexander and the four bodies would take place — or what it expected to get in return.

Alexander was 19 when he was abducted from his base on the border with Gaza in southern Israel during Hamas' attack on Oct. 7, 2023 that sparked the war, which has been the deadliest and most destructive fighting ever between Israel and Hamas.

It wasn't clear which mediators proposed what Hamas was discussing. Egypt, Qatar and the U.S. have been guiding negotiations, and none had confirmed making the suggestion as of Friday night.

U.S. officials, including envoy Steve Witkoff, said Friday that they had presented a proposal Wednesday to extend the ceasefire a few more weeks as the sides negotiate a permanent truce. The officials said in a statement that Hamas was claiming flexibility in public while privately making “entirely impractical" demands.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said that Israel had "accepted the Witkoff outline and showed flexibility,” but that Hamas was refusing to do so.

“At the same time, it continues to use manipulation and psychological warfare — the reports about Hamas’ willingness to release American hostages are intended to sabotage the negotiations,” read a letter from the government to hostage families.

It added that Israel’s negotiating team would return Friday from Qatar's capital, Doha. Netanyahu said that he plans to convene his ministerial team Saturday night to hear from the negotiators and decide on the next steps.

Hamas, meanwhile, sent a delegation to Cairo to discuss the ceasefire negotiations with Egyptian officials.

Hamas official Husam Badran reaffirmed Friday what he said was the group’s commitment to fully implementing the ceasefire agreement in all its phases. He warned that any Israeli deviation from the terms would return negotiations to square one.

The White House announced last week that American officials had engaged in “ongoing talks and discussions” with Hamas, stepping away from a long-held U.S. policy of not directly engaging with the militant group. That prompted a terse response from Netanyahu’s office.

The U.S. said Friday that under its proposal, Hamas would release Alexander and other living hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and increased humanitarian aid to Gaza. The militants were told that the proposal would have to be accepted soon, the U.S. statement said, adding that delay would not pay off for Hamas.

The first phase of the ceasefire ended two weeks ago, but the pause in fighting has held — if tensely — for now. The initial phase allowed the return of 25 living hostages and the remains of eight others in exchange for the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

Israeli forces have withdrawn to buffer zones inside Gaza, hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have returned to northern Gaza and hundreds of trucks of aid entered daily until Israel cut off supplies to the territory's 2 million people two weeks ago.

Hamas is believed to be holding 24 living hostages and the bodies of 35 others.

The Hostage Families Forum, which represents most captives' families, said Friday it welcomed plans for any releases, but “without a comprehensive deal, we risk sealing the fate of all remaining hostages.”

Israel has been urging Hamas to release half of the remaining hostages in return for an extension of the first phase, and a promise to negotiate a lasting truce. The supply cutoff came as Israel pressed the militants to agree. About 80% of Gaza's residents have lost access to food sources, and 90% can't access clean drinking water, according to the Hamas-run government media office in Gaza.

Hamas wants to start negotiations on the ceasefire’s more difficult second phase, which would entail the release of the remaining hostages, the withdrawal of Israeli forces and a lasting peace.

The developments came as Jews began celebrating the Purim holiday, and Muslims continued marking the holy month of Ramadan. Around 80,000 Muslim worshippers prayed Friday at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque compound, according to the Islamic Trust, which monitors the site. Israel is allowing only men over age 55 and women over 50 to enter from the occupied territory.

“The conditions are extremely difficult,” said Yousef Badreen, a Palestinian who left the southern West Bank city of Hebron at dawn to make it to Jerusalem. “We wish they will open it for good.”

Hamas accused Israel of escalating a “religious war” against Palestinians, casting the Al-Aqsa restrictions as “systematic targeting of Muslim religious practices." The Israeli government didn't immediately respond.

Associated Press writers David Rising in Bangkok, Jennifer Peltz in New York and Darlene Superville in Kissimmee, Florida, contributed to this report.

An elderly Palestinian woman leaves after she was not allowed to cross from the Israeli military Qalandia checkpoint near the West Bank city of Ramallah to Jerusalem, to participate in the Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

Palestinians cross from the Israeli military Qalandia checkpoint near the West Bank city of Ramallah to Jerusalem, to participate in the Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

An elderly Palestinian woman rests after she was not allowed to cross from the Israeli military Qalandia checkpoint near the West Bank city of Ramallah to Jerusalem, to participate in the Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

A Palestinian man leaves after he was not allowed to cross from the Israeli military Qalandia checkpoint near the West Bank city of Ramallah to Jerusalem, to participate in the Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

Palestinians perform Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the Old City of Jerusalem, during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

Palestinians cross from the Israeli military Qalandia checkpoint near the West Bank city of Ramallah to Jerusalem, to participate in the Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

Palestinian women sit under the shade before Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the Old City of Jerusalem, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

Palestinians take part in Friday prayers in the ruins of a Mosque that was partially destroyed by Israeli bombardment, in Nuseirat, Gaza Strip, Friday, March 14, 2025, during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Palestinian women perform Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the Old City of Jerusalem, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

Palestinians take part in Friday prayers in the ruins of a Mosque that was partially destroyed by Israeli bombardment, in Nuseirat, Gaza Strip, Friday, March 14, 2025, during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Palestinians perform Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the Old City of Jerusalem, during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

Palestinians cross from the Israeli military Qalandia checkpoint near the West Bank city of Ramallah to Jerusalem, to participate in the Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

Palestinian women take a photo next to the the Dome of the Rock shrine at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the Old City of Jerusalem, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

The bodies of Palestinians killed during the Israel-Hamas war and were buried in a mass grave at Shifa Hospital yard are exhumed for identification and reburial in Gaza City's official cemeteries, on Thursday, March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina lawmakers agreed Wednesday to spend another $528 million on still-pressing needs from Hurricane Helene's historic flooding nearly six months ago, with an emphasis on home and private road repairs, agriculture and infrastructure to aid businesses.

House and Senate Republicans worked out their differences from competing versions of a bill and voted overwhelmingly this week for the compromise, which includes an additional $327 million to address the recovery from previous storms — some several years ago — and disasters not named Helene.

The measure went to Democratic Gov. Josh Stein, who signed the bill — his first as governor — in a Wednesday evening ceremony. He told lawmakers last week during his State of the State address he was ready to sign a relief measure into law.

Stein had asked the GOP-controlled legislature for an additional $1.07 billion for Helene relief in the mountains last month. The final measure omits some programs sought by Stein or underfunds his requests, as Republicans took a more cautious approach. Lawmakers and Stein have said they anticipate more Helene aid to be appropriated in the months ahead.

“As we’ve said many times, this is our next step, not our final step,” GOP Sen. Ralph Hise of Mitchell County said Wednesday during debate on the final bill, which passed the Senate unanimously.

Before the latest measure, the General Assembly had already appropriated or made available more than $1.1 billion for Helene recovery activities, according to Stein's office.

The bill “will enable us to get started on many important aspects of disaster recovery, but we have to be honest that the amount is inadequate and this is just the start,” Stein told reporters earlier Wednesday.

The funds pale in comparison to the record $59.6 billion in Helene damages and recovery needs estimated by state officials, who also reported over 100 deaths from the late September storm. Stein’s administration projects that disaster relief approved by Congress in December and other federal funding sources may ultimately provide more than $15 billion in Helene recovery funds to North Carolina. Stein is now seeking another $13 billion from Washington.

About 4,600 households in western counties were still receiving temporary housing assistance as of last week, and more than 200 public roads in the region remain closed or just partially open, according to state data.

The measure allocates $100 million to help repair or replace roads and bridges on private property that sometimes can be the only link between small communities and the outside world.

There's $120 million to kick-start a home reconstruction and repair program while the state completes steps to receive nearly $1.4 billion from the federal government for similar construction and mitigation activities.

The measure provides $200 million to address Helene crop losses, debris removal and other agricultural recovery needs. There's over $110 million more for agriculture losses farmers suffered during 2024 from damage caused by other storms and drought.

The final bill also locates an additional $217 million that would be used to complete close to 1,000 unfinished home construction projects for victims of Hurricanes Matthew in 2016 and Florence in 2018 in eastern North Carolina. That program has faced lengthy delays and higher than planned expenses.

“Families who have waited far too long will finally get the relief they deserve,” House Majority Leader Brenden Jones said in a news release after Tuesday's House vote. "With strict oversight to ensure every dollar is used properly — we are finishing the job once and for all.”

The final plan also locates $9 million for a voluntary student summer school program in districts that were closed for many weeks because of Helene. Stein requested the help, although the money provided is lower than what he sought.

The measure omitted Stein's request for two business grant programs designed to help companies that suffered significant sales and economic losses or physical damages.

Republican lawmakers uncomfortable with direct payments instead agreed to spend $55 million on grants for local governments, which in turn could use the money for infrastructure repairs that could benefit small businesses, like sewer, utility and sidewalk repairs.

North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein delivers the State of the State address at the Legislative Building, Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Raleigh N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)