Edan Alexander was 19 when Hamas militants stormed the Israeli navy base the place the American-Israeli from New Jersey was a soldier and dragged him into the Gaza Strip.
Hamas launched Alexander, the final residing American hostage in Gaza, on Monday forward of President Donald Trump’s go to to the area this week. The militant group known as it a goodwill gesture geared toward reviving mediated efforts to finish the 19-month battle.
Alexander was amongst 251 individuals taken hostage in Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, assault that ignited the battle. Fifty-eight stay in Gaza. Round a 3rd are believed to be alive. A lot of the relaxation had been launched in ceasefire agreements or different offers.
Alexander’s mother and father flew to Israel on Monday. Trump’s hostage negotiator, Adam Boehler, posted an image on social media displaying Alexander’s mom, Yael, aboard the flight.
A local of Tenafly, a suburb of New York Metropolis, Edan Alexander moved to Israel in 2022 after highschool and enlisted within the navy. Hamas militants seized him from his navy base after he volunteered to remain there over the Jewish Sabbath.
In a video Hamas launched of Alexander over Thanksgiving weekend in November 2024, he cried and pleaded for assist. Although the video was troublesome to look at, his household mentioned, it got here as a aid to see he was alive.
Alexander, like different male troopers held in Gaza, was not included amongst hostages launched throughout a ceasefire earlier this yr. Hamas launched 25 Israeli hostages and the our bodies of eight others in January and February in return for almost 1,800 Palestinian prisoners. The sight of some emaciated hostages amongst these freed introduced contemporary despair to households whose family members remained in Gaza.
Hamas has mentioned it should solely launch the remaining hostages in alternate for a long-lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, together with the discharge of extra Palestinian prisoners. Israel has rejected these phrases, saying it should proceed the battle till all of the hostages are freed and Hamas is defeated.
Hamas mentioned in March it will launch Alexander and the our bodies of 4 different hostages if Israel recommitted to the stalled ceasefire settlement. Alexander’s father, Adi, mentioned on the time he was talking with Trump’s hostage negotiators nearly day by day, urgent for his son’s launch.
Days later, Israel shattered the truce with a shock bombardment that killed a whole lot of Palestinians. Israel known as the renewed bombardment a tactic to stress Hamas to barter completely different ceasefire phrases. Hamas mentioned the offensive places remaining hostages in danger.
In April, Hamas printed one other video of Alexander wherein he spoke from a darkish room. His household believes he has been held in Hamas’ huge tunnel community.
Days later, Hamas mentioned it had misplaced contact with the militants holding Alexander after an Israeli airstrike focused their location. Israeli officers haven’t commented on the declare.
The Alexander household Monday urged the Israeli authorities to proceed efforts to free all of the hostages — a plea that different households have echoed because the Hamas announcement on Sunday.
“Please don’t stop,” Alexander’s family said. “We hope our son’s release begins negotiations for all 58 remaining hostages, ending this nightmare for them and their families.”
