A senior Hamas official tells Newsweek that the Palestinian militant group saw "positive" potential in signs of a growing rift between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after offering the U.S. leader a political win in the form of an American hostage release ahead of his Middle East trip.

Edan Alexander was 19 when he was taken from his military base in southern Israel during Hamas’ cross-border attack on Oct. 7, 2023.

Freed hostage Edan Alexander is handed over to the Red Cross and then to Israeli forces before being flown to a hospital in Tel Aviv.

Some reports have cast this disconnect as indicative of a chasm between Trump and Israel. But this is a misreading. The divide is not between the president and Israel so much as between the president and Israel’s leader. Most Israelis support what Trump is doing—and oppose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s approach to the war in Gaza.

"The nature of that bilateral relationship—with Israel still reliant upon the military, diplomatic and economic assistance of the United States—is such that the prime minister

Netanyahu has long trumpeted his ties to Trump. But the president is sidelining him on urgent issues like the Iran nuclear talks and the conflict with Houthi rebels.

A series of side deals by the U.S. administration is raising questions about how closely in sync the allies are over major challenges in the region.

Former Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) weighed in on President Trump’s trip to the Middle East, saying Tuesday that the decision not to visit Israel sends a clear message about his stance on the

President Donald Trump touched down in Saudi Arabia for his first visit to the Middle East since his re-election as he kicks off a four-day trip that includes stops in Qatar and the UAE.