Hamas Outsmarts Netanyahu, Ending US Leverage

The intensifying stench of decay surrounding Benjamin Netanyahu seems to be growing for Israel’s genocidal lunatic.

What’s seen as a strategic masterstroke, Hamas announced Sunday (local time) said it would release the last known American-Israeli hostage, Edan Alexander, directly to US officials during President Donald Trump’s Middle East visit.

The release not only delivers a symbolic blow to Netanyahu’s hardline Gaza strategy but strips Israel of a key diplomatic tool that had kept the US heavily involved in Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.

Alexander, a dual citizen and former Israeli soldier, had been held captive in Gaza since the October 2023 escalation, with his release initially tied to the now-stalled second phase of ceasefire talks between Hamas and Israel. However, Hamas announced it would release Alexander as a gesture of goodwill to the US—sidestepping Israel entirely.

What was a carefully worded statement, Hamas said Alexander “will be released as part of the steps aimed at achieving a ceasefire, opening the crossings, and allowing humanitarian aid and relief into our beloved Gaza Strip.” The statement made no mention of any quid pro quo or direct exchange, underscoring Hamas’s aim to present the release as a unilateral political decision, not the result of Israeli or US coercion.

Trump administration officials welcomed the move, praising it as a “gesture of de-escalation,” with senior aides expressing confidence that Alexander would be freed within days during the former president’s high-profile regional visit.

While the development was hailed in Washington, it caused political tremors in Israel. Netanyahu’s government—long reliant on the plight of American-Israeli hostages like Alexander to ensure unwavering US support for its Gaza offensive—was blindsided. With Alexander’s release, Israel loses the last symbolic justification for continued direct US involvement in its Gaza campaign, making it harder for Netanyahu to argue the US has a national security stake in Gaza’s future.

The move is a bold recalibration by Hamas, designed to showcase the group’s capacity for diplomacy, expose the hollowness of Netanyahu’s hardline stance, and—most critically—cut off Israel’s ability to use the hostage issue as a lever to sustain American political cover.

“This is more than a humanitarian gesture,” Hanan Farhat, a Beirut-based political analyst said. “It’s Hamas telling the world: ‘We don’t need to hold Americans to get attention. We can negotiate directly with the US on our own terms.’ At the same time, it undercuts Israel’s ability to justify the war by pointing to an American hostage still in captivity.”

Indeed, the timing is devastating for Netanyahu. For months, the Israeli government had emphasised the presence of dual-national hostages, particularly Americans, as proof that Gaza posed a broader international threat, essential for keeping the US engaged. With Alexander’s imminent release, the US will have no direct stake left in the hostage crisis.

“This allows Washington to say, ‘We got our citizen back, now it’s time for a ceasefire and serious diplomacy,’” said Oma

Shakir, a Middle East policy expert. “Netanyahu can no longer rely on the detention of an American-Israeli to keep the US at his side militarily. It removes one of his key cards.”

For the families of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza, the announcement provoked both relief and fury. While Alexander’s release offers a glimmer of hope, it also highlights Netanyahu’s diplomatic failures and his government’s unwillingness to engage in direct negotiations with Hamas.

“How can Hamas release an Israeli-American to the Americans, while our government does nothing?” asked Shira Neuman, whose sister remains captive. “This shows that diplomacy works, and Netanyahu’s stubbornness is what’s leaving our loved ones behind.”

Protests by hostage families, already a daily feature outside Netanyahu’s residence, are expected to intensify, with demonstrators accusing the government of putting ideology before the lives of its own people.

For Hamas, the dividends are immediate and far-reaching. By releasing Alexander directly to the Americans, Hamas is positioning itself not as an isolated terror group, but as a capable diplomatic actor able to engage with global powers and make rational, humane decisions without coercion.

“They’re exploiting the moment brilliantly,” Farhat said. “Not only does Hamas appear more reasonable than Netanyahu, but they are actively making the case that they—not Israel—are the ones who can end the crisis through dialogue.”

The move also exposes the growing international isolation of Israel’s government. Netanyahu’s strategy of total war has increasing criticism from Europe, the Arab world, and even among sections of the American public and political establishment. With Alexander’s release, Netanyahu’s rationale for continuing the Gaza offensive looks increasingly hollow and self-serving.

For Netanyahu, the implications are grim. Bereft of the hostage issue to keep the US. firmly aligned, and with Trump expected to use the hostage release as a diplomatic victory, Netanyahu’s running out of arguments for the ongoing Gaza operation.

“This strips Netanyahu of one of his last diplomatic shields,” said Ya’alon, former Israeli Defence Minister. “He can’t point to an American hostage anymore. He can’t tell Washington, ‘Stay the course, or American lives are at risk.’ That narrative is gone.”

As Trump prepares to land in the Middle East, Netanyahu faces an enormous existential political crisis. Does he double down on military escalation to save face, or does he accept the reality that his Gaza policy has failed to deliver security, the return of Israeli hostages, or even continued American backing?

Either way Netanyahu risks further domestic turmoil, with the hostage issue likely to become a potent symbol of his eroding authority.