Posted on 05/12/25
| News Source: Arutz-7
Liqaa Maki, a researcher at Al Jazeera's media institute, believes that the Hamas terror organization stands to benefit significantly from the deal that led to the release of American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander.
Although Hamas did not receive any direct compensation for Alexander’s release, Maki argues that the group achieved a substantial strategic and diplomatic victory.
According to Maki, the deal exposed a growing rift between the United States and Israel, caused embarrassment to the Israeli government, and highlighted a deterioration in trust between the two allies.
Maki further noted that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has suffered diplomatic humiliation, as he appears weakened in the eyes of US President Donald Trump.
Among the gains Hamas has made, Maki includes the perception that the lives of American citizens are valued more than those of Israelis by the Israeli government, and the establishment of a precedent for direct US negotiations with Hamas without Israel's involvement.
Maki concluded that Hamas’s most significant accomplishment is having drawn the US into a move that could bring an end to the war in Gaza, contrary to Israel’s position.