Hamas releases an American hostage without compensation

BarcelonaHamas released an American hostage on Monday without receiving any compensation. Edan Alexander, the last living American held in the Gaza Strip, was handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross as a gesture of "goodwill" by the Islamist organization to "end this brutal war." The gesture is interpreted as an attempt by Hamas to resume negotiations, especially regarding the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, which Israel has blocked for 71 days, which has led to ahas unprecedented hunger according to all international organizations with a presence on the ground. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said in a statement that Gaza's 2.1 million residents are at "critical risk" of hunger and urged Israel to open the border crossings. Hospitals are also in a critical situation.

The agreement was reached without Israeli participation, the White House made clear in a statement, in which it thanked Qatar and Egypt for their efforts. The negotiations came to fruition as President Donald Trump's tour, which begins this Monday and will take him to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. The fact that Washington left Israel out in the statement is a significant message that marks a certain distance from Netanyahu.

The Israeli government has welcomed the release, but has said it will not lead to a ceasefire or another prisoner exchange. Tel Aviv has made it clear that any negotiations will be under heavy fire. with its "extensive and permanent" employment plan for the StripThe Israeli army has said it will open a corridor to allow the hostage's escape. This morning, aircraft bombed a school converted into a shelter and a mosque in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, killing at least 17 Palestinians. According to Gaza authorities, at least 29 Palestinians were killed and 94 wounded in the bombings over the past 24 hours.

In Israel, the announcement of the release has sparked criticism of Netanyahu. The forum that brings together the families of the hostages has urged the Israeli government to take advantage of this window to reach an agreement that will lead to the release of the remaining 58 Israelis still held captive, around 30 of whom are believed to have died. "Will you choose to make history, bring them all home, and allow Israeli society to heal, or will you continue to procrastinate and evade responsibility at the cost of the collapse of the Israeli ethos, severely harming the hostages, and preventing the return of the fallen?" they say, addressing the prime minister. The opposition has also criticized the government: Yair Lapid called it "a shameful diplomatic failure" that the United States negotiated with him without Israeli involvement. Benny Gantz has said that his "stomach turns to see the lack of initiative and responsibility of the Israeli government."