Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Liberman said at the opening of his party's faction meeting that 'the return of hostage Idan Alexander was not achieved through pressure or decisions by the Israeli government, but through direct contacts between the U.S. and Hamas - which received compensation for the release, such as allowing aid entry.' According to him, 'Our relations with the U.S. are at an unprecedented low. The main problem is that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu doesn't want to end the war. He doesn't want to eliminate Hamas, and he is also incapable of eliminating it.'