Hamas reneges on releasing last living US hostage, makes entirely impractical demands

Hamas reneged Saturday on a commitment to release New Jersey native Edan Alexander — the latest twisted “manipulation and psychological warfare” by the terror group, Israel said.The terrorist group on Friday agreed to free the 21-year-old –who is the last living American hostage — along with the bodies of four other slain captives, but then put forward a list of “entirely impractical” conditions it requires amid ongoing negotiations for a ceasefire deal, Israeli officials said.“Unfortunately, Hamas has chosen to respond by publicly claiming flexibility while privately making demands that are entirely impractical without a permanent ceasefire,” a statement from President Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and the US national security council said.“Hamas is making a very bad bet that time is on its side,” it added.

“It is not.”Hamas said Israel must release more Palestinian prisoners, allow aid into Gaza, withdraw from a strategic corridor along the Egyptian border and begin talks on the next phase of the ceasefire the same day that hostages are released, a senior official with the terrorist group told the Associated Press Saturday.Witkoff and Eric Trager, National Security Council senior director for the Middle East, presented a proposal in Qatar this week that would extend the first phase of the ceasefire, which ended on March 1, to mid-April and give both sides time to develop a plan to end the war.Israel has rejected opening the second phase of talks and supports the US proposal, which would reportedly include the release of five additional living and several deceased hostages and allow aid into Gaza in an extension of the first phase of the ceasefire.Hamas says it will only free additional hostages during the second phase.Israel has not responded to the latest demands as government offices observe the Sabbath but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has said Hamas “has not budged a millimeter,” and called its offer to release Al...