LOS ANGELES.–Releasing 21-year-old Israeli-U.S. hostage Edan Alexander, Hamas said it made a humanitarian gesture to 78-year-old President Donald Trump on the eve of his return to the Mideast. Alexander was captured on Oct. 7, 2023 the day Hamas massacred some 1,200 Israelis at a music festival in Negev Desert and kibbutzes near the Gaza border, taking 251 Israelis and others hostage. Israel authorities said Edan was in good shape though he reports being tortured by his Hamas captives. Speaking to her son after his release, his mother Yael Alexander said, “You are strong. You are safe. You are home. Well see each other soon. I love you.” Edan had no response to the press after his release, largely due to Trump’s negotiators hoping to get the young U.S. citizen out of Hamas captivity. Trump warned Hamas months ago to release all remaining hostages.
Alexander was one out of the 54 hostages still claimed by Hamas with Israel authorities saying that only 24 remain alive. With Edan out, only 23 are still presumed alive, the rest being corpses held by Hamas. Trump has had enough of Hamas’s game playing, using hostages like pawns trying to negotiate a ceasefire agreement from the Israeli government. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it a “very emotional moment,” getting Edan released. Spontaeous celebrations broke out on the streets of Tel Aviv in response of news of his release. Netanyahu said it would not affect his government ongoing war with Hamas, trying to root out the terror group from Gaza’s military tunnels. So far, U.N. and EU countries haven’t demanded that Hamas leave the Gaza Strip. All parties know that the reconstruction of Gaza cannot begin until all Hamas terrorists leave Gaza.
Hamas wants a permanent end to the Gaza war to complete any further hostage returns, including all the corpses held by the terror group. You’d think they’d have any shame in keeping corpses as bargaining chips, demanding that Israel empty out its prisons of Palestinian prisoners, many of whom dangerous terrorists. Netanyahu’s office said Israel could return to the prior proposal by Witkoff that bodies of remaining hostages and live hostage would be returned in two stages. Netanyahu still hasn’t worked out his ongoing military operations in Gaza, potentially ended by any hostage deal with Hamas. Netanyahu said he would send a hostage negotiating team to Qatar for talks. Negotiations “will come under fire during preparations f or an intensification of the fighting,” said Netanyahu. Netanyahu said Israel remains under no obligation to follow any agreed to protocol.
Netanyahu is under constant pressure from families of remaining hostages, alive or dead, to get back their loved ones. Netanyahu is faced with juggling Israel national security against the wishes of families to get relatives back from Hamas captivity. If the U.N. or EU wants to see a wider humanitarian corridor open up in Gaza, they need to demand that remaining Hamas terrorists leave the Gaza Strip. No one in the EU and U.N. has admitted that Hamas steals intended humanitarian supplies selling it on the black market to drum up cash. So, when Hamas claims that Israel has a blockade on Gaza, it tries to prevent Hamas from looting humanitarian relief. Hamas has a well-documented history of looting Gaza coffers to enrich Hamas leadership, now living in exile as millionaires and billionaires. Yet the U.N. and EU has not asked Hamas to leave Gaza.
Reports of the Israeli government flying Edan to Qatar to greet Trump have yet to be determined based on his medical condition. Edan lost considerable weight in custody, was reportedly tortured by Hamas militants. Edan was only one of 20 hostages thought to be alive in Gaza, with the remaining 34 all corpses. Trump wants the war in Gaza to stop but not before Hamas has been completely neutralized by Israel. There’s no point in Israel leaving Hamas in Gaza’s tunnels when it’s permanently delaying any reconstruction. No one thinks Hamas can get its hands on any future reconstruction funds knowing its history of looting the Gaza Strip. So, when it comes to what Trump wants Netanyahu to do with Hamas, he wants him to finish the job, get rid of the terrorists group. Netanyahu is under pressure to get all the remaining hostages, alive or dead, back.
Netanyahu faces a real dilemma deal with Hamas, knowing that if they can’t get them out of Gaza’s tunnels, the reconstruction cannot start. Trump should put more pressure on Arab states, but, more importantly, on U.N. and EU countries pretending that the war must end without Hamas leaving Gaza. Trump has tried to apply pressure on Hamas, telling them there would be hell to pay if they don’t release all hostages by Inauguration Day. Well, since that never happened, Hamas said releasing Edan was a humanitarian gesture, hardly enough to warrant any congratulations. Hamas should have release all the hostages long ago but continues to use them as bargaining chips before they’re forced to leave Gaza. Trump must apply pressure to Gulf Arab states, U.N. and EU officials to demand Hamas leave Gaza. Only then can relief get to Gaza residents.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
