From the Liveblog of
Monday, May 12, 2025
Smotrich claims Israel enabled release of Edan Alexander through ‘military, political pressure’ on Hamas
Sam Sokol is the Times of Israel's political correspondent. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
Rejecting criticism about Israel having played no role in the pending release of hostage Edan Alexander, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich declares that “you have to be crazy to turn an event like this into something that is against the government.”
“A heroic fighter, a lone soldier who came to Israel to enlist in the army and serve the homeland, is released from captivity without any compensation or conditions — we are not releasing a single terrorist, we are not delivering humanitarian aid, we are not stopping the war and we are not surrendering,” Smotrich tells reporters in the Knesset ahead of his Religious Zionism party’s weekly faction meeting.
“Just two months ago, there were those who were talking about how in order to free Edan we would have to release 250 murderous terrorists with blood on their hands” but now he is being freed “because we have created military and political pressure on Hamas,” Smotrich claims.
Hamas “understands that we have no intention of surrendering and if it wants something, it is the one who has to pay upfront and not the other way around,” he asserts — adding that the government is “committed to bringing about everyone’s release.”
Smotrich’s comments appeared at odds with recent statements by senior American officials.
In an overnight announcement, US President Donald Trump stated that the American-Israeli’s pending release “was a step taken in good faith towards the United States and the efforts of the mediators — Qatar and Egypt — to put an end to this very brutal war and return ALL living hostages and remains to their loved ones.”
“Hopefully this is the first of those final steps necessary to end this brutal conflict,” Trump said.
This rhetoric echoes that of US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, whom Channel 12 recently reported had told families of hostages held in Gaza that he disagrees with Israel’s approach to the war in the Strip, and believes reaching a new ceasefire and hostage release deal is the correct next step to take.
Walla news reported that Witkoff was currently holding talks with Hamas, Qatar, Egypt and Israel on a hostage deal and longer-term calm. Hamas has stated that Alexander’s release was meant as a goodwill gesture in the hope that Washington will coax Israel to end the war in Gaza, a source involved in the mediation effort told The Times of Israel.
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