. : : a m i i n : : . amiin- Your Future Depends on You.

May 15, 2025

On May 12, 2025, Hamas released Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander, 21, after 19 months of captivity following his capture during the October 7, 2023, attack. The release occurred during a brief pause in fighting, facilitated by the International Committee of the Red Cross, and was part of U.S.-Hamas negotiations bypassing Israel. Reuters and Newsmax report Alexander, a dual citizen and former Israeli soldier, reunited with his family in Reim, southern Israel, before medical evaluation in Tel Aviv.
- Israeli strikes resumed hours after Alexander’s release, killing at least 80 Palestinians across Gaza on May 14, per local health authorities cited by Reuters. A strike on May 13 targeted the Nasser medical complex, and another on May 14 hit a bulldozer near the European Hospital in Khan Younis, which Israel claimed housed a Hamas “command and control bunker.” Fox News and Breitbart frame these as targeted operations against Hamas infrastructure, with Israel blaming civilian deaths on militants embedding in populated areas.
- Trump’s four-day Middle East tour (Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, May 12–15) excluded Israel, sowing doubt among Israeli officials about their standing in U.S. priorities, per Reuters. Israel’s unease stems from Trump’s focus on Gulf economic deals, like a $96 billion Boeing order in Qatar, and his decision to lift Syria sanctions, seen as empowering Iran-backed regimes. Trump’s envoy, Adam Boehler, held “very helpful” talks with Hamas in March 2025, bypassing Israel, to secure Alexander’s release, further straining ties. Newsmax notes U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee’s denial of a rift, but Israeli press cited by
- Israel’s blockade on Gaza, ongoing since March 2, 2025, has depleted food and fuel, with local health authorities reporting near-famine conditions. The Associated Press and Reuters note Trump’s administration proposed a private contractor-led aid plan, endorsed by Israel but rejected by the UN and aid groups as unworkable. Fox News frames this as a pragmatic effort to prevent Hamas from profiting off aid, while The Daily Caller reports Trump’s push for humanitarian deliveries “regardless of a ceasefire,” per U.S. Ambassador Huckabee.
- On May 14, Netanyahu announced plans for mediators to negotiate in Qatar for remaining hostages, signaling openness to a truce, per Reuters. However, he also stated Israel expects 50% of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents to flee amid an impending “all-out assault” to defeat Hamas, reported by neutral sources like The Times of Israel.
- On May 12, Israeli forces recovered the body of Sgt.-Maj. Tzvi Feldman, killed in the 1982 Lebanon War, from deep inside Syria, per The Jerusalem Post. The Mossad-led operation, enabled by Syria’s new government under Ahmed al-Sharaa, was hailed by Netanyahu as a commitment to fallen soldiers.

The Times of Israel reported on May 11 that International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Karim Khan’s 2024 arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant were allegedly timed to deflect from sexual assault allegations against Khan. The Daily Caller frame this as evidence of anti-Israel bias in international bodies, with X posts echoing calls for the U.S. to sanction the ICC.

On May 14, 2025, Israeli forces conducted large-scale raids across multiple West Bank cities, targeting Palestinian militants they accused of planning attacks. The operation resulted in the deaths of five Palestinian militants, marking it as one of the deadliest raids since the onset of the war with Hamas in 2023, according to Reuters and The Times of Israel. Fox News and Breitbart frame the raids as a preemptive strike to protect Israeli civilians, citing ongoing rocket fire from Palestinian groups. The Jerusalem Post notes Israel’s claim that the operation disrupted a planned suicide bombing.

On May 13, 2025, the U.S. and Israel conducted joint military exercises in the eastern Mediterranean, focusing on missile defense and cyber warfare, per Newsmax. The drills, involving U.S. Navy destroyers and Israeli Air Force jets, were seen as a signal to Iran amid Trump’s nuclear talks, which Israel views skeptically. Breitbart reports Trump’s administration, via Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, reaffirmed “ironclad” support for Israel’s defense, including increased funding for the Iron Dome system.

Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, escalated attacks on Red Sea shipping lanes, targeting vessels linked to Israel, per Reuters on May 15. A missile strike on May 14 damaged a U.S.-flagged ship, prompting U.S. and Israeli naval responses. Fox News and The Daily Caller frame this as a direct challenge to Trump’s Middle East strategy, with Israel urging stronger U.S. action against Iran’s proxies. During his UAE visit on May 15, Trump warned of “severe consequences” for Houthi disruptions.

Israel intensified airstrikes in southern Lebanon against Hezbollah targets on May 13–14, killing 15, including civilians, per local authorities cited by Reuters. The strikes followed Hezbollah rocket attacks on northern Israel, displacing 60,000 residents since 2023. Newsmax reports Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, is mediating indirect U.S.-Israel-Lebanon talks to de-escalate, but Israel demands Hezbollah’s withdrawal north of the Litani River, a condition Lebanon rejects. The Federalist frames Trump’s approach as balancing Israel’s security with avoiding a broader war, but The Times of Israel notes Netanyahu’s frustration with slow progress, partly blaming Trump’s focus on Gulf alliances.

On May 15, Israel’s Knesset advanced a bill to expand settlements in the West Bank, backed by Netanyahu’s coalition, per The Jerusalem Post. The move, seen as a response to Palestinian attacks, drew U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee’s cautious support, per Breitbart, aligning with Trump’s pro-settlement stance.