What Trump's hostage deal says about Netanyahu spat

The release of American-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander the last American held captive in Gaza was not hammered out ina deal between Hamas militants and Israel.

- BEL TREW

Instead, somewhat surprisingly - and perhaps even embarrassingly for Benjamin Netanyahu - Israel appears not to have been involved. The release was allegedly negotiated during direct talks between the White House and the militants themselves, with the assistance of countries including Qatar and Egypt.

This would be something of a first, and it comes amid swirling rumours that relations between Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his most powerful ally, US president Donald Trump, are at an all-time low.

Since the news broke of Edan’s release, statements from Netanyahu’s office have been prickly and defensive, and carry the tone of trying to take credit for the release. Particularly as a backlash against Netanyahu has mounted, with critics accusing him of having to rely on a foreign leader to help free the remaining hostages.

At the start of the latest hearing in Netanyahu’s ongoing trial for alleged corruption, where he was giving testimony, a woman in the courtroom asked whether he was “ashamed that the president of the United States is saving his citizens, and he is leaving them to die there in captivity”.