Released Israeli hostage Edan Alexander will meet US President Donald Trump in Qatar if he wishes and his medical condition allows it, his family told Ynet Monday evening ahead of his release from Hamas captivity.
"I’m very happy he’ll meet Trump, who made every effort and is a good emissary of the Holy One, blessed be He. Thank God the administration cared about him," Alexander's grandmother, Varda Ben Baruch, said, according to Ynet.
Trump is set to land in Riyadh on Tuesday, where he will then travel to the UAE and Qatar in a trip aimed at securing Gulf investment, advancing Gaza ceasefire efforts, and confronting Iran’s nuclear ambitions, The Jerusalem Post previously reported.
The president's arrival in Saudi Arabia will take place just one day after Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, helped facilitate the release of Alexander, who is a dual Israeli-American citizen.
Witkoff and hostage envoy Adam Boehler both arrived in Israel on Monday to see Alexander released.
Criticism of Israel regarding hostage and ceasefire deal
On Sunday night, following Hamas's announcement that they would release Alexander, Witkoff criticized Israel for not assisting in a deal that would bring home all the remaining hostages, both living and deceased.
"We want to bring the hostages home, but Israel is not willing to end the war. Israel is prolonging it despite the fact that we don’t see where else we can go and that an agreement must be reached," Witkoff commented during the meeting with hostage families, according to sources present.
However, he added an optimistic message, saying that "There is currently an opportunity window that we hope Israel and all the mediators will take advantage of. We are putting pressure on all the mediators and doing everything we can to bring the hostages home."