Hamas Frees Last Living American Hostage Edan Alexander

What Happened?

Hamas has freed the last American hostage, Edan Alexander, who had previously been held in captivity since the beginning of the war in Gaza in 2023. Mr. Alexander was initially turned over the Red Cross in Khan Younis, and from there he was transferred to the Israeli military. He is expected to undergo a medical evaluation before being reunited with his mother, who had flown from New Jersey to meet him.

President Trump posted on Truth Social, ‘This was a step taken in good faith towards the United States.’

Why it Matters

The release of Mr. Alexander by Hamas is largely seen as an attempt to gain favor with the United States and in turn put pressure on Israel to end combat operations against Hamas in Gaza. A solid majority of the public in Israel support negotiations and an end to hostilities, so long as the war’s end includes the return of the remaining hostages.

Edan Alexander was born in Israel, though he grew up in the United States in New Jersey. About three years after graduating from high school he joined the Israeli Defense Force and was serving as a soldier when he was captured in October 2023. With his return no other Americans remain as hostages in Gaza, though at least fifty-eight Israeli’s are believed to still be in captivity.

The focus on Gaza is now centered on the immediate effects of combat and not on the underlying causes of the war. Most of the international calls for action are geared towards stopping the fighting and not on solving any of the underlying issues which led to fighting in the first place. If the ideology of Hamas remains intact, then stopping the fighting will only be temporary. The group has shown repeatedly in the past a willingness to spend long periods of time, even years, planning new attacks against Israel.

Yet Israel’s government is run by elected officials, and those officials must respond to public opinion. Right now, a sizeable majority of Israelis want the fighting in Gaza to stop. Prime Minister Netanyahu has shown little indication he plans to stop combat operations anytime soon. In fact, Israel’s military is set to expand operations in Gaza with a new plan of action just approved last week. Mr. Netanyahu has demonstrated a continued willingness to risk his political future by continuing the war in Gaza despite Israeli public pressure to end it. 

How it Affects You

Hamas is not an organization that does much of anything in good faith. The release of an American while keeping Israeli’s hostage is just part of the Hamas strategy, to try to gain by human trafficking what they were unable to achieve with military force. While critics accuse Israel’s government of continuing the fight, Hamas wants to continue the fight too, just much later so they will have time to recoup their losses.