Dual Citizenship Debate Resurfaces in Israel After Hamas Releases American-Israeli Hostage
Families of Israeli Captives Accuse Netanyahu of Abandonment as U.S. Negotiates Directly with Hamas for Dual Nationals.
Watan-Hamas’ decision to release Israeli-American soldier Aidan Alexander following understandings with the United States has reignited debate in Israeli society over the significance of dual citizenship—a discussion that had surfaced previously after the release of other captives holding foreign and Israeli passports.
In the early months of the war, several families of Israeli captives in Gaza attempted to acquire foreign passports, hoping such citizenship might increase the chances of their loved ones being freed, especially amid widespread belief that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government had abandoned them.
While Alexander’s release was welcomed both officially and publicly, it sparked deep concern among the families of remaining captives—some of whom accused Netanyahu of knowingly condemning their children to death.
Families of Captives Accuse Netanyahu of Abandonment: “Only Dual Nationals Stand a Chance”
Einav Tsangauker, mother of captive Matan, who was held in the same tunnel as Alexander, wrote on X: “If Matan is left alone in the tunnel, Netanyahu has decided to kill my son instead of securing the release of all hostages… My dear Matan, the Prime Minister has chosen to sacrifice you and others, leaving you behind.”
This sentiment was echoed by Eli Shtiwi, father of captive Aidan Shtiwi, in an interview with Israel’s public broadcaster Kan Reshet Bet: “If a deal is now being made for one person because he’s American, what about those who have no second nationality?”
Similarly, Robi Hen, father of soldier Itai Hen whose body is held by Hamas, told Army Radio that Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer had advised families of U.S. citizens last year to reach out directly to the American administration for help: “He told us: if you want your loved ones back, your chances are better through the U.S. than through me.”
Foreign Passport as a Survival Tool
Haaretz quoted Yehuda Cohen, father of captive Nimrod Cohen: “Our son was sent by the state to defend its borders just like Aidan. Nimrod is a proud Israeli patriot, and we never considered obtaining a foreign passport. The Israeli government has politically abandoned the hostages.” His mother Vicky shared a photo of him in uniform on X, writing: “I have no other homeland, no foreign passport—only the State of Israel. I hope it doesn’t abandon me.”
In a column for Haaretz on Monday, political correspondent Jonathan Lis described Alexander’s release as Washington’s “last and dangerous card” to pressure both sides toward a broader deal. If this move doesn’t lead to a larger agreement, and with no more known American captives, the Biden administration may lose its incentive to pursue negotiations. He noted that Washington’s repeated efforts to free U.S. citizens without coordinating with Israel reflect frustration with the lack of progress toward ending the war and resolving the hostage crisis.
Haaretz also revealed that in June 2023, President Biden’s administration explored a separate deal with Hamas, which the Israeli government did not oppose. U.S. efforts have focused particularly on locating Hirsch Goldberg-Polin, an American wounded and later reportedly killed in Gaza.
Although Israeli officials publicly oppose differentiating between captives, insisting on a unified release, several captives with foreign nationalities have been freed independently. Notably, in the first month of the war, U.S. citizens Judith and Natalie Raanan were released under Qatari mediation and Biden’s direct pressure. Russian citizen Ron Krivoi was released in November 2023 following negotiations between Hamas and President Vladimir Putin. Other detainees from Asian countries were freed in separate deals alongside Israeli captives.
“Don’t Get Kidnapped Without a Second Passport”
In Yedioth Ahronoth, journalist Ranen Shaked wrote under the biting headline: “Don’t Get Kidnapped Without an Extra Passport.” He remarked: “Total failure looks like this: a U.S. citizen is released directly by President Trump, without any involvement from the Israeli government.” He added: “There’s no way to grasp the pain of a mother whose son is left in a Gaza tunnel for hundreds of days, told that the only key to his release is something he never had and never will—a U.S. passport.”
He concluded that Trump seems to care more about the hostages than Netanyahu and is taking matters into his own hands without waiting for Israel to act—because, according to him, there’s no expectation that Netanyahu will do anything at all.
The idea of acquiring a second nationality is not new in Israel but has gained urgency since the start of the war. On November 8, 2023, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported that Israel’s public broadcaster had published, and later removed, a report revealing that families of captives were actively seeking foreign citizenships for their loved ones to increase pressure on foreign governments to intervene with Hamas.
At the time, nearly 30 countries, in addition to Israel, had citizens held captive in Gaza.
