Hamas said it agreed to release Edan Alexander and turn over the bodies of four other hostages. But both the White House and Israel said Hamas wasn’t serious, suggesting a deal wasn’t close.

A senior Hamas official said talks over the ceasefire's second phase would need to begin the day of the release and last no longer than 50 days. Israel would also need to stop barring the entry of humanitarian aid.

Hamas said on Friday it had agreed to free an American-Israeli dual national if Israel begins a phase of ceasefire talks towards a permanent end to the war, but Israel dismissed the offer as "psychological warfare".

As Hamas on Friday offered to release American Israeli soldier Edan Alexander and the remains of four other hostages held in Gaza, Israel's prime minister called it psychological manipulation.

Israel is cutting off its electricity supply to Gaza as the country’s energy minister vowed to use “all the tools available” to free the last of the hostages held by Hamas. The supply of electricity into the Gaza Strip from Israel was cut off suddenly on Sunday by the Israel Electric Corporation on the orders of Energy Minister Eli Cohen.

The militant group did not immediately specify when the release of soldier Edan Alexander and the four bodies would take place.

The offer to release the American hostage appears to be an effort to pressure Israel into starting discussions over a second phase to the ceasefire in Gaza.

Hamas said on Friday it agreed to release an American-Israeli dual national, believed to be the last living American hostage held in Gaza, after receiving a proposal from mediators to continue negotiations on the second phase of a ceasefire deal.

Hamas says it will release American Israeli Edan Alexander and the bodies of four other hostages only if Israel implements their cease-fire agreement.