Hamas frees US hostage in deal sidelining Israel

U.S.-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander hugs his family after release by Hamas

The US success in freeing Alexander has 'created a backlash' against Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

(Image credit: Israeli Defense Forces / IDF / Handout / Anadolu via Getty Images)

What happened

Hamas Monday released Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old U.S.-Israeli soldier and the final living U.S. citizen the militant group held since taking hundreds of Israelis hostage 585 days ago. President Donald Trump, whose envoys negotiated Alexander's release directly with Hamas, called it a "step taken in good faith" to "put an end to this very brutal war" in Gaza.

Who said what

Amid the celebrations in Israel, the U.S. success in freeing Alexander "created a backlash" against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, The Associated Press said. Critics assert that his "insistence on keeping up the war in Gaza is politically motivated" and puts his own interests over the lives of the 23 hostages believed to still be alive.

Netanyahu "sought to persuade a skeptical public" last night that his "decision to prolong the war contributed to Alexander's release," The Washington Post said. But Israel "learned about the deal" only late Sunday, a development many Israelis "interpreted as a sign of increasingly strained relations" between Trump and their prime minister.

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What next?

The backchannel talks with Hamas were the latest in a series of Trump administration moves that "sidelined or surprised the Israelis," The Wall Street Journal said. Combined with Trump's detente with Yemen's Houthis, nuclear talks with Iran and decision to skip Israel during his current Middle East trip, the Post said, "many Israelis are wondering whether Israel is the next U.S. ally to be left behind by a president they considered, just months ago, to be the most pro-Israel in history."

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Rafi Schwartz has worked as a politics writer at The Week since 2022, where he covers elections, Congress and the White House. He was previously a contributing writer with Mic focusing largely on politics, a senior writer with Splinter News, a staff writer for Fusion's news lab, and the managing editor of Heeb Magazine, a Jewish life and culture publication. Rafi's work has appeared in Rolling Stone, GOOD and The Forward, among others.