Freed but not Free: Outrage as hostage Edan Alexander could face Qatar trip after 19 months of Hamas torture

Earlier today, Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander, 21, was freed after 584 days of harrowing captivity under Hamas, marking a significant diplomatic achievement led by the United States. Captured during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks while serving in an elite IDF unit near Gaza, Alexander was handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Khan Younis and transferred to IDF forces at the Kissufim crossing. He is now en route to Israel’s Re’im military base for medical evaluations before reuniting with his family, who traveled from New Jersey, and will be airlifted to Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv. The release, confirmed by the IDF, was facilitated through direct U.S. negotiations with Hamas, bypassing Israeli officials, amid strained relations between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The U.S., through envoy Steve Witkoff, played a pivotal role in securing Alexander’s unconditional release, seen as a Hamas goodwill gesture ahead of Trump’s Middle East visit starting May 13, 2025. Trump hailed the move on Truth Social as “a step taken in good faith towards the United States and the efforts of the mediators, Qatar and Egypt, to put an end to this very brutal war and return ALL living hostages and remains to their loved ones,” adding, “Hopefully this is the first of those final steps necessary to end this brutal conflict.” Hamas linked the release to ceasefire efforts and humanitarian aid resumption, while Israel attributed it to intense IDF military pressure, with an official noting, “There’s a direct connection between the military pressure… and Hamas’ sudden willingness to release Edan unconditionally.” Of 251 hostages taken in 2023, 59 remain in Gaza, with up to 24 believed alive.

However, a controversial U.S. proposal to fly Alexander to Qatar to meet Trump and Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, potentially on May 14, 2025, has ignited fierce backlash. The plan, contingent on Alexander’s health, is criticized as exploiting a traumatized young man for political gain. Social media posts on X condemned the idea, with one stating, “A hostage flown to Qatar to be paraded in front of cameras rather than taken 5 minutes away to their home wouldnt be a freed man. They would still be a hostage.” Another post raged, “The last thing anyone held hostage for 19 months should be asked to do is travel to the country that funded his captors. Edan Alexander needs trauma therapy, medical care, and time with his family, not a flight to Qatar to be paraded in front of cameras alongside Trump and the Emir. Qatar not only financed Hamas but also sheltered its leadership. This is exploitation of s 21 year old boy and its disgraceful.” A third declared, “A hostage isn't a photo opportunity. They are a human being in need of medical attention, psychological care, and their family. There is only one place a released hostage should be taken: Home.” These sentiments highlight outrage over prioritizing a publicity stunt over Alexander’s urgent need for recovery after 19 months of torture and violence.

The U.S. sees the release as an opening for broader hostage negotiations under the “Witkoff framework,” with envoy Adam Boehler calling it a “positive step” and urging Hamas to return the remains of four deceased American hostages. Israel, maintaining no ceasefire commitment, demands half the remaining hostages be freed immediately, viewing Hamas’s move as a desperate bid to delay an IDF offensive aimed at dismantling its control over Gaza. As Alexander’s family cautiously supports the Qatar trip pending his condition, the controversy underscores a tension between diplomatic optics and the human cost of captivity.