Hamas Denies Netanyahu: ‘US Responsible for Aidan Alexander’s Release, Not Israel’

Hamas denied today (May 13, 2025) that the release of the Israeli-American hostage Aidan Alexander one day earlier was the result of ‘military pressure’ as claimed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. ‘The return of Aidan Alexander is the result of serious communication with the American government and the efforts of mediators, not the result of an attack or the false perception of military pressure from Israel,’ Hamas stated in a press release. The hostage, held for over 19 months in the Gaza Strip, was released yesterday (May 12, 2025). Netanyahu, on the other hand, claimed the release of the 21-year-old soldier was due to a ‘victorious combination’ of military pressure from Israel and political pressure from Donald Trump’s administration. ‘This became possible thanks to our own military pressure and the political pressure exerted by President Trump. It is a victorious combination,’ he said in a video released shortly after Alexander’s arrival in Israel. After participating in discussions with U.S. representatives last week about the ceasefire in Gaza, Hamas announced on Sunday (May 11, 2025) that it intended to release the Israeli-American hostage. Yesterday, the Palestinian organization reiterated that this release was the result of ‘serious negotiations’ during which it assessed itself as being ‘flexible’.