Dim Amor

On Monday evening, after 584 days in Hamas captivity, IDF soldier Idan Alexander finally returned to his family's embrace. A moment so moving it brings tears to eyes, symbolizing a small victory within a harsh and complex reality. But while images of his meeting with his family flood screens and hearts, another story unfolds behind the scenes – a story that reveals who was truly responsible for his release, and who is trying to take credit where it isn't due.

The true story, as emerges from the details of the case, is that the blessed release of Idan Alexander has nothing to do with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Mr. Ron Dermer, or any other minister in the Israeli government. In fact, the release was made possible despite the Israeli government, not because of it.

Idan Alexander, who holds American citizenship, was released thanks to direct and significant involvement by the President of the United States, Donald Trump. It turns out that the Trump administration conducted direct negotiations with Hamas behind Israel's back, negotiations that ultimately led to Alexander's release.

In the first published images, Idan is seen wearing an Adidas shirt, standing on his feet alongside a Red Cross representative and militants. Unlike hostages released in previous deals, Alexander was not wearing a uniform during his release. His father, who watched these emotional moments from the plane that brought him to Israel, reacted emotionally: "I saw the picture, handsome. The excitement is enormous. He's a bit thin and pale, but he'll be fine".

Alexander was transferred to the Red Cross in Khan Younis, without any special ceremony, and was then transferred to the IDF. From there, he was taken to the reception point in Reim, where he met with his family, and was later flown to Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv for a series of medical examinations.

But while everyone celebrates Idan's release, there are disturbing facts that cannot be ignored. Prime Minister Netanyahu, as is his habit, rushed to Ichilov Hospital to exploit this sensitive occasion for photos and political propaganda. But in reality, he deserves no credit for this release.

While Netanyahu tries to claim the achievement for himself, the gap between words and actions is glaring. In fact, one can clearly see the results of Netanyahu's government's decisions – disorder, injustice, and failures that led to an IDF soldier remaining in Hamas captivity for a full 584 days.

There is another troubling detail in this complex puzzle – the connections between Hamas and Russia. While Hamas, Putin's friends, still hold Maxim Harkin captive, Putin himself has done nothing to release him. Meanwhile, Netanyahu continues to "kowtow" to Putin, as can be seen in his decision to send Israel's ambassador to participate in the Victory Parade in Moscow, where she sat alongside dictator Putin and Abu Mazen, a Hamas supporter. Putin, it should be noted, does not define Hamas as a terrorist organization but as a political organization fighting for freedom.

After Alexander's release, Netanyahu posted on X: "I met today with the US President's Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Whitcoff, and the US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee. I then spoke with US President Donald Trump. I thanked President Trump for his assistance in releasing IDF soldier Idan Alexander. President Trump, for his part, reiterated his commitment to Israel and his desire to continue close cooperation with me".

Netanyahu continued: "In my meeting with Envoy Whitcoff and Ambassador Huckabee, we discussed the latest effort to implement the framework for releasing hostages presented by Whitcoff, before expanding the fighting. For this purpose, I instructed a negotiation delegation to be sent to Doha tomorrow. I clarified that negotiations will only take place under fire".

What's important to understand is that Netanyahu's entire discourse comes only after the release, when credit has already been given to Trump. It seems that Netanyahu is trying to attach himself to a successful move led by someone else.

Meanwhile, Hamas issued an official statement addressing President Trump: "Continue your efforts to end this cruel war, we are ready to enter immediate negotiations for a comprehensive deal". The statement also read: "The release came after contacts with the American administration, as part of mediators' efforts to achieve a ceasefire, open crossings, and allow aid to reach our people in the Gaza Strip. This step comes after important contacts in which Hamas demonstrated positivity and high flexibility. Serious and responsible negotiations will achieve results in the release of prisoners. However, continued aggression will prolong their suffering and may even kill them".

The Wall Street Journal reported earlier from Arab sources that contacts are taking place between Hamas and Israel also regarding a cessation of fighting in the Gaza Strip, which would include the release of additional hostages and renewal of humanitarian aid into the Strip. The report in the Journal complements a statement by an American official familiar with the details of the direct talks between the US and Hamas, who told CNN that immediately after Idan's release "we will immediately enter negotiations on a comprehensive agreement".

While the joy of Alexander's family moves us all, it's important to remember that 58 more hostages still remain in Hamas captivity, most of them Israeli citizens, whose time is growing shorter and whose condition worsens day by day. Are the Israeli government and its leader willing to sacrifice all these hostages on the altar of the government's political survival and the Prime Minister's personal survival?

Netanyahu, who is neck-deep in a host of serious scandals and substantial conflicts of interest, is conducting a policy that harms the public interest, Israel's future, and its security. While the families of other hostages continue to live in an endless nightmare, it seems the government is not doing enough to bring back their loved ones.

What happened with Idan Alexander proves that when there is genuine will and readiness to make all necessary efforts, results can be achieved. The problem is that this will came from Washington, not Jerusalem.

While Netanyahu continues to play political games and try to survive politically, 58 families continue to desperately wait for the return of their loved ones. It's time to stop the show, stop claiming achievements, and start doing what really matters – bringing all the hostages home.

The release of Idan Alexander is a joyous event, but it is also a painful reminder of the Israeli government's failures and the fact that sometimes external intervention is needed to do what the government is unable or unwilling to do. It's time for Israeli leadership to stop focusing on photos and propaganda and start working genuinely for its citizens.

584 days in captivity is too long. How much longer will the remaining 58 hostages have to wait until someone intervenes on their behalf? And how many of them will survive until then?

Could it be that the solution to the issue of all hostages involves a political price that Netanyahu is not willing to pay? Is this a Prime Minister who prefers his personal and political benefit over the welfare of the citizens of the country he is supposed to protect?

While Netanyahu is busy coordinating meetings with world leaders and posting on social media, the families of the hostages continue to live in ongoing uncertainty. Perhaps it's time for a government that places the hostages at the top of its priorities, not political survival.

The latest development in the hostage affair raises fundamental questions regarding the government's conduct and the national priorities it establishes. While we rejoice in Idan Alexander's return to his family's embrace, we have a civic duty to firmly demand that the political leadership increase its efforts. We must insistently demand that it use all means at its disposal to return all hostages to their homeland, even if the price involves significant political sacrifice. The lives of hostages are immeasurably more important than the governmental position of any political figure, including the Prime Minister himself.

Now that Idan Alexander has finally returned to the embrace of his family and his people, it would be appropriate to direct most of the public attention to the other fifty-eight human tragedies that are crying out for a beneficial end. The time has come for the government to fulfill the essential purpose for which it was entrusted with power – to provide protection to its citizens and ensure their well-being in an uncompromising manner.

Photo: IDF Spokesperson and social networks, in accordance with Article 27 a' of the Copyright Law