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.

Hamas agreed to release Alexander, the last living U.S. hostage in Gaza, after talks with the Trump administration. His parents traveled to Israel from New Jersey.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to the Middle East this week as scheduled won’t include a trip to Israel to discuss the war in Gaza or talks with Iran about its nuclear program.

President Trump announced the change in US policy during his speech at a Saudi investment forum, kicking off the first major international trip of his second term.

President Donald Trump arrived in the Saudi capital of Riyadh as he began a four-day Middle East trip. Upon his arrival he met with the crown prince and U.S. tech executives. Trump will also travel to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.