Overview

• Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old US-Israeli soldier held captive since October 2023, was released by Hamas on May 12 under a temporary ceasefire brokered by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt.
• Hamas's decision to release Alexander is framed as a gesture of goodwill, with the group signaling readiness for further negotiations to end the conflict and ease Gaza’s humanitarian crisis.
• The Israeli military continues its operations in southern Gaza, particularly in the Al Jeninah neighborhood of Rafah, while maintaining a strict blockade that has left Gaza’s population facing critical shortages of food, medicine, and fuel.
• Israel has proposed a controversial plan to militarize humanitarian aid distribution in Gaza, involving private US security contractors and facial recognition technology, which has been strongly opposed by UN agencies and humanitarian organizations.
• Over 52,800 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict began in October 2023, with the humanitarian situation worsening as aid channels remain closed and famine looms for Gaza’s population.