Palestinian militant group Hamas on Tuesday (April 15) said it had "lost control" with the group holding Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander after Israel launched an air strike in Gaza. 

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Abu Obeida, spokesman for the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, announced this on Telegram, saying that they are trying to reach them at this moment. 

"We announce that we have lost contact with the group holding soldier Edan Alexander following a direct strike on their location. We are still trying to reach them at this moment," Obeida said on Telegram Channel.

Also read: Hamas releases video showing Israeli-American hostage alive; captive slams Israeli govt for failing to secure his release

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“It seems that the occupation army is deliberately trying to kill him and hence relieve themselves from the pressure caused by the dual-citizen prisoners in order to continue its genocide against our people,” Abu Obeida added.  

The Brigades released a video on Saturday, showing Alexander alive, in which he criticised the Israeli government for failing to secure his release. 

In the video, Alexander was speaking, while making frequent hand gestures as he criticised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.

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Also read: Israeli airstrike targets Gaza’s only functioning hospital, Hamas command center in Deir al-Balah

'Will suffer blow after blow'

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday warned Hamas that it will continue to suffer "blow after blow". 

Netanyahu further insisted the Palestinian militant group to release the Israeli hostages. 

"They are striking the enemy and Hamas will continue to suffer blow after blow. We insist that they release our hostages, and we insist on achieving all of our war objectives," Netanyahu told troops in Gaza, according to a statement from his office.

Israeli-American hostage Alexander was serving as a soldier in an elite infantry unit on the Gaza border when he was abducted by the Hamas group during the October 7 attack on Israel. 

He was born in Israel and grew up in the US, and later, returned to Israel after high school to join the army. 

Till date, Hamas has published two propaganda videos of Alexander, the latest on Saturday.

WATCH | Israel-Hamas war: Israel offers 45-day Gaza truce, demands hostage release, disarmament

The Israeli army said that they have not carried out strikes in areas where it suspects hostages may be held by Hamas. 

Military officials have repeatedly noted that every strike on Gaza and the ground operations are carefully planned out in order not to endanger Israeli hostages. 

Also read: Hamas publishes video of Israeli-American hostage pleading for Trump's help in securing release

(With inputs from agencies)