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Hamas Says It Freed Israeli-American Hostage, Israel Says No Ceasefire

FILE PHOTO: Varda Ben Baruch, grandmother of hostage Edan Alexander, points at the portrait of Edan, as family members and supporters of hostages who were kidnapped during the deadly October 7 attack, stand near the kibbutz defense on the day they use giant loudspeakers to call their captive loved ones over the border between Israel and Gaza, at Kibbutz Nir Oz, in southern Israel, April 20, 2025. REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Varda Ben Baruch, grandmother of hostage Edan Alexander, points at the portrait of Edan, as family members and supporters of hostages who were kidnapped during the deadly October 7 attack, stand near the kibbutz defense on the day they use giant loudspeakers to call their captive loved ones over the border between Israel and Gaza, at Kibbutz Nir Oz, in southern Israel, April 20, 2025. REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo
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Hamas Says It Freed Israeli-American Hostage, Israel Says No Ceasefire

FILE PHOTO: Varda Ben Baruch, grandmother of hostage Edan Alexander, points at the portrait of Edan, as family members and supporters of hostages who were kidnapped during the deadly October 7 attack, stand near the kibbutz defense on the day they use giant loudspeakers to call their captive loved ones over the border between Israel and Gaza, at Kibbutz Nir Oz, in southern Israel, April 20, 2025. REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Varda Ben Baruch, grandmother of hostage Edan Alexander, points at the portrait of Edan, as family members and supporters of hostages who were kidnapped during the deadly October 7 attack, stand near the kibbutz defense on the day they use giant loudspeakers to call their captive loved ones over the border between Israel and Gaza, at Kibbutz Nir Oz, in southern Israel, April 20, 2025. REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo

An Israeli-American hostage crossed into Israel on Monday after his release by Hamas as fighting paused in Gaza, the Israeli military said, but there was no deal on a wider truce or hostage release as monitors warned of famine in the devastated enclave.

Israel's military said it had received Edan Alexander after the International Committee of the Red Cross said it had facilitated his safe transfer from 19 months of captivity to Israeli authorities.

Alexander was the last American held by Hamas and Israel's Channel 12 said his condition was "low" without citing a source.

Al Jazeera television showed a photograph of him standing next to masked fighters and a Red Cross official. Unlike in previous hostage releases, he was wearing civilian clothes.  

Fighting halted at midday in Gaza after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would pause its operations to allow safe passage for the hostage release.

Hamas said it was freeing Alexander as a goodwill gesture to US President Donald Trump, who is visiting the region this week.

"Edan Alexander, American hostage thought dead, to be released by Hamas. Great news!" Trump wrote in capital letters on his social media platform earlier in the day.

Netanyahu said Alexander's release came thanks to his country's military pressure in Gaza and political pressure exerted by Trump.

The Israeli leader said he spoke with Trump on Monday where the US president expressed commitment to Israel, according to a statement by Netanyahu's office.

Netanyahu has said there will be no ceasefire and that plans to intensify military action in Gaza continue.

The release, after four-way talks between Hamas, the United States, Egypt and Qatar, could open the way to freeing the remaining 58 hostages held in the Gaza Strip, 19 months after Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

Qatar and Egypt said Alexander's release was an encouraging step towards new truce talks. Israel will send a delegation to Qatar on Thursday to discuss a new proposal aimed at securing further hostage releases, Netanyahu's office said.  

Netanyahu has insisted that Israel's planning for an expanded military campaign in Gaza will continue, as one of his far-right coalition partners, national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, said the war on Hamas must not end and aid should not be let into the Palestinian enclave.

"Israel has not committed to a ceasefire of any kind," Netanyahu's office said, adding that military pressure had forced Hamas into the release.

Gaza health authorities said an Israeli strike killed at least 15 people sheltering at a school on Monday before fighting paused. Israel's military said it had targeted Hamas fighters there who were preparing an attack.

The global hunger monitor, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) reported on Monday that half a million people in the Gaza Strip face starvation and there is a critical risk of famine by September.

'BRING THEM ALL HOME'  

Trump is due to visit Gulf states on a trip that does not include a stop in Israel but special envoy Steve Witkoff, who helped arrange the release, was expected in Israel on Monday, two Israeli officials said.

Alexander's family thanked Trump and Witkoff, saying in a statement that they hoped the decision would open the way for the release of the other remaining hostages.

"We urge the Israeli government and the negotiating teams: please don't stop," they said.

US officials have tried to calm fears in Israel of a growing distance between Israel and Trump, who last week announced an end to US bombing of Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, who have continued to fire missiles at Israel.

Israel's government has drawn criticism over the deal to release Alexander, which laid bare the priority given to hostages able to rely on the support of a foreign government.

Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan is among 21 hostages still believed to be alive, said Netanyahu was choosing his political survival over ending the war.

Addressing Trump in a statement she read with other hostage families, she said: "The Israeli people are behind you. End this war. Bring them all home".

Netanyahu, who was due to testify in the latest session of his trial on corruption charges that he denies, has faced pressure from hardliners in his cabinet not to end the war.

Following a ceasefire agreement that halted fighting in Gaza for two months and allowed the exchange of 38 hostages for Palestinian prisoners and detainees in Israeli jails, Israel resumed its military campaign in the enclave in March.

Since then, it has extended its control of the territory, clearing around a third of what it has described as a "security zone" and blocked off the entry of aid into Gaza, leaving the 2 million population increasingly short of food.

Last week, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee outlined plans for a new system of aid deliveries by private contractors, but many details are unclear, including on funding.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier told visiting Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Monday that humanitarian aid in Gaza needed to resume immediately. Herzog said the new aid mechanism would reach civilians, not Hamas, and urged the international community to help implement it.

Israeli forces invaded Gaza in retaliation for the Hamas-led assault on Israel in October 2023 that killed 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies.

Since then, more than 52,000 Palestinians have been killed, Palestinian health authorities say, and large swathes of the heavily built-up enclave have been laid to waste.

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Arab World

Arab Parliament Speaker Condemns Continued Iranian Attacks on Arab States

Arab Parliament Speaker Condemns Continued Iranian Attacks on Arab States
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Arab Parliament Speaker Condemns Continued Iranian Attacks on Arab States

Arab Parliament Speaker Condemns Continued Iranian Attacks on Arab States

Arab Parliament Speaker Mohammed Al-Yamahi condemned the continued systematic Iranian terrorist attacks against several Arab states, describing them as a flagrant violation of international law and the principles of the United Nations Charter, as well as a direct threat to regional security and stability, SPA reported.

He said in a statement that the attacks carried out by Iran since the outbreak of the war, using missiles and drones, reflect a recurring hostile approach that disregards state sovereignty and the safety of civilians.

He stressed that the targeting of infrastructure facilities and the resulting casualties reveal a clear disregard for international humanitarian law and reflect a determination to undermine security and stability in the region.

The Arab Parliament speaker held the Iranian regime fully responsible for these acts and their repercussions, calling on the international community to assume its responsibilities and take a firm and immediate stance to halt these violations and end the aggressive policies threatening regional and international peace and security.

Al-Yamahi also renewed the Arab Parliament’s full support for the measures taken by the targeted Arab states to preserve their security and stability, safeguard their sovereignty, and act in accordance with international law and their legitimate right to self-defense.

Arab World

Iraq Pushes to Centralize War Powers Under State Control

Relatives of a soldier killed in an airstrike on Habbaniyah base carry the Iraqi flag during his funeral (AFP)
Relatives of a soldier killed in an airstrike on Habbaniyah base carry the Iraqi flag during his funeral (AFP)
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Iraq Pushes to Centralize War Powers Under State Control

Relatives of a soldier killed in an airstrike on Habbaniyah base carry the Iraqi flag during his funeral (AFP)
Relatives of a soldier killed in an airstrike on Habbaniyah base carry the Iraqi flag during his funeral (AFP)

Iraqi security sources reported a breakthrough in investigations into rocket and drone attacks on diplomatic and security sites, as political and legal pressure intensifies to confine decisions of war and peace to the state.

A security source familiar with the probe told Asharq Al-Awsat that authorities have begun identifying those behind the launches. The information was obtained after the arrest of three members of an armed faction, who were already subject to arrest warrants.

Security forces also detained another group suspected of involvement in attacks targeting the US embassy in Baghdad, the source said.

More arrest warrants are expected as investigators pursue others suspected of carrying out rocket and drone attacks in violation of the law.

Judicial warnings

The government has not named those responsible, but armed factions have repeatedly claimed similar operations through statements and online platforms, complicating the security landscape and weakening state control over weapons.

The developments follow a warning from Supreme Judicial Council President Faiq Zidan of “serious repercussions” from unilateral military decisions by factions and non-official entities. He said such actions violate the constitution and risk exposing Iraq to international isolation and sanctions.

Zidan said declaring a state of war requires a constitutional process, including approval by two-thirds of parliament based on a joint request from the president and prime minister.

The escalation underscores growing tension between the state and armed factions, as authorities seek to reassert institutional control amid rising domestic and international criticism over fragmented security decision-making and continued attacks on diplomatic missions.

Regional war dynamics

Officials describe the situation as indirect involvement in the region’s “geography of war,” with repeated attacks on sites linked to the US presence in Baghdad and Erbil, alongside airstrikes on military positions inside Iraq.

Since the start of the Middle East war, Iraqi factions have claimed attacks on US interests.

Iran has struck Iranian Kurdish opposition groups in northern Iraq, while sites linked to the Popular Mobilization Forces and Iran-aligned factions have been hit by airstrikes attributed to the United States and Israel.

War powers debate

Calls are growing within Iraq to reaffirm that decisions of war and peace rest solely with constitutional institutions.

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said the government is “the sole authority” empowered to take such decisions, despite operating in a caretaker capacity following recent parliamentary changes.

The Foreign Ministry reiterated Baghdad’s firm rejection of any attacks targeting Gulf states, stressing solidarity with sister countries and commitment to their security and stability. It said Gulf security is inseparable from Iraq’s national security and that regional stability serves all.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Jordan have condemned attacks by Iran-aligned Iraqi factions on regional countries and infrastructure, calling them violations of international law.

Energy risks

President Abdul Latif Rashid reiterated Iraq’s rejection of war, voicing deep concern over the widening conflict and calling for an immediate halt to military operations and a return to dialogue.

In a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Rashid said continued war serves no country in the region and threatens Middle East stability.

He added that Iraq, both its people and government, calls for peace and expresses solidarity with the Iranian people, praising their resilience in the face of “attacks.”

In Geneva, Iraq’s mission to the United Nations warned that expanding the conflict would deepen crises and undermine stability. Jaafar Mohammed, second secretary at Iraq’s mission, cautioned that disruptions to energy supply chains through the Strait of Hormuz could have global economic repercussions.

Arab World

Lebanese Army ‘Repositions’ Itself in the South to Avoid Contact with Israel

A Lebanese army patrol in southern Lebanon. (Lebanese army file photo)
A Lebanese army patrol in southern Lebanon. (Lebanese army file photo)
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Lebanese Army ‘Repositions’ Itself in the South to Avoid Contact with Israel

A Lebanese army patrol in southern Lebanon. (Lebanese army file photo)
A Lebanese army patrol in southern Lebanon. (Lebanese army file photo)

The Lebanese army and security forces are carrying out a “preventive” redeployment of units in the south under Israeli fire, in a move seen as aimed at avoiding direct contact or friction with Israeli forces.

The step comes amid the absence of a political decision to confront Israeli incursions militarily, and is viewed as the adoption of “protective tactics” for personnel in an area witnessing ongoing clashes.

A Lebanese security source familiar with the matter told Asharq Al-Awsat that the forces follow a fixed field principle of remaining alongside residents until the last moment before they need to evacuate an area.

“Personnel stay where civilians are, and withdraw only after displacement is complete, and before any potential Israeli advance, ensuring neither they nor residents are exposed to danger,” the source said.

Deployment is directly tied to displacement patterns and conditions in each town, the source said, noting that “the presence of residents is a decisive factor in the Internal Security Forces maintaining their posts.”

“Posts are not evacuated under a declared central plan, but based on changing field data,” the source added. “Every town that is emptied of its residents is automatically followed by the evacuation of its police post, with personnel joining the nearest military point.”

The town of Khiam was “among the last locations to maintain a security presence alongside residents until the final stages of displacement, before it was evacuated” as Israeli forces advanced.

Military pullback, local pushback

The town of Debel highlights the complexity of the situation between the military and civilians. A local source said the army had maintained an advanced position on its outskirts, but as limited Israeli incursions began nearby, the position was withdrawn overnight into the town, specifically to the public school.

“The withdrawal did not stop there,” the source said. “The following day, personnel were completely pulled out of Debel toward Rmeish, leaving no effective military presence inside the town, while personnel from Debel remained in their homes in civilian clothing.”

The most sensitive step was a proposal to relocate soldiers from the town, along with their families, outside the area, a move locally seen as a prelude to emptying the town. It was met with widespread rejection.

About 200 security personnel from Debel serve in the army and security forces, meaning their departure with their families would have led to the near-total evacuation of the town. Political and local efforts, involving the defense and interior ministries and religious authorities, led to the plan being frozen.

Despite the tension, the source said the town is not under siege, noting that the Debel-Rmeish road remains open, easing pressure for evacuation. Residents and personnel remain in their homes, while military positions and police posts continue operating in nearby towns, such as Ain Ebel and Rmeish.

Local media reported that the army repositioned at the Khardali checkpoint, the main gateway to the southern Litani area from the eastern sector, and is preparing to redeploy at the Kafra checkpoint, as Israeli forces advance toward Beit Lif and the facing Wadi al-Oyoun from the south.

Lebanese army commander General Rodolphe Haykal inspected units in Beirut and the southern city of Sidon and reviewed security measures within their areas of responsibility.

He urged troops to maintain readiness “to prevent any breach of security, and to act firmly against any attempt to undermine internal stability.”

“Despite rumors and incitement campaigns aimed at undermining the sacrifices and efforts of soldiers, the army will not hesitate to carry out its national duties,” he said, calling on troops “not to be influenced by such rumors, to adhere to their doctrine, and remain committed to performing their national duty.”

Preventive strategy

Former MP and retired brigadier general Chamel Roukoz said the moves “cannot be described as a traditional military withdrawal,” but rather a calculated field redeployment shaped by an asymmetric confrontation, given Israeli air and firepower superiority and the risk of direct targeting of exposed positions.

He said the army operates within a margin set by political authority, noting that no decision has been issued by the government to engage or confront Israeli forces directly.

“The military institution manages its deployment accordingly, balancing field presence with safety requirements,” he said.

On the evacuation of positions, including those reported in Debel, Roukoz said the measures “do not reflect abandonment of territory or a collapse of the front,” but rather precautions imposed by field realities, where some positions become easy targets under bombardment.

He said the redeployment carries operational and morale dimensions, aiming to avoid direct friction in the absence of a political decision, preserve troop morale, and avoid pushing forces into unequal confrontations.

The army command, he added, is showing “high flexibility” in managing deployment, shifting from exposed positions to safer ones.

Roukoz said the developments fall within “protection and redeployment tactics adopted in high-risk environments,” reflecting careful management of the balance between political decision-making and field realities.