Israel's government was heavily criticized following the announcement of the deal struck between Hamas and the US, which would see the release of Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander on Monday.
"I’m shocked and fearful for the fate of Israel, which under a terrible government has lost control over its destiny," Yonatan Shamriz, brother of slain hostage Alon, wrote in an X/Twitter post.
בזמן שאני במשלחת בגרמניה עם אחיהם של גלי וזיוי ברמן אנחנו מקבלים הודעות בלתי פוסקות על המתרחש. מצד אחד מתרגש ושמח מאוד על שחרורו של עידן אלכסנדר ומהצד השני המום וחרד לגורלה של ישראל שתחת ממשלה איומה איבדה שליטה על גורלה.בלתי נתפס לדמיין שמי שהתקשר להודיע למשפחתו של עידן…
— shimriz יונתן שימריז (@shimrizzz) May 12, 2025
He added that the hostages' families "have no one to rely on" in "a country that was supposed to protect them and their children."
Opposition head Yair Lapid wrote on X/Twitter, "Reports of direct talks between Hamas and the United States are a disgraceful diplomatic failure of the Israeli government and its leader.
"The hostages are ours, and the responsibility for bringing them home lies with the government.
The Democrats chairman, Yair Golan, told Radio 103FM, “The fact that in order to bring back Alexander, who, by sheer luck, was born with American citizenship, we had to rely on that is simply a disgrace and a shame. It’s a humiliation for the State of Israel.
"I have no words to express my deep shock over the fact that a soldier serving in the IDF was abandoned by the Israeli government and had to depend on the American president to be freed.”
Gaza border residents respond
Residents of the Gaza border area said that while the announcement of Alexander's release was met with relief, hostages' families felt abandoned by the government.
Sharon Kalderon, a resident of Kibbutz Sufa whose brother Ofer was released from captivity in February, said, “There is no greater joy than the release of a hostage from hell. We are happy and overjoyed for the Alexander family. And still, it makes no sense that an IDF soldier is released because he happens to hold American citizenship, while the State of Israel, which sent him there, is busy with coalition deals and absurd scandals. After Idan’s release, we must bring everyone home.”
"On one hand, it’s moving; every hostage who returns is someone pulled from the tunnels of hell. On the other hand, we fear this may be the last hostage to be freed," Avivit John from Be'eri said.
"The Israeli government has placed the hostages at the bottom of its priorities. It seems as if it has no real interest in securing their release. The recent releases are thanks to [US] President [Donald] Trump, not the Prime Minister. We demand the release of all hostages, not just those with American citizenship. The government’s statements about the hostages are nothing but lip service. The hostages’ chances of survival amid the war are slim.”
Maayan Shneor from Netiv Ha’asara said, “Each person who is released is a world unto themselves, but today the heart is torn.
"There are hostages who don’t hold American citizenship and are still languishing in captivity—and it breaks our hearts. We welcome Edan’s return, but our hearts are also with the rest of the hostages. Everything must be done to bring them back. Today only underscores how important it is to have an additional foreign citizenship.”