The parents of an American and Israeli hostage held in the Gaza Strip since the Israel-Hamas war began more than 200 days ago told the Daily Caller News Foundation that they are doing everything in their power to bring him home. Ta.
Edan Alexander, 20, is one of the five American hostage He is currently being held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. His parents Adi and Yael meet with U.S. and Israeli officials to bring him home as international negotiators rush to reach a deal with Hamas that calls for the release of the hostages in exchange for a temporary ceasefire. We are discussing methods. (Related article: ‘Unacceptable’: Blinken-Prime Minister Netanyahu meeting at crossroads as Israeli invasion of Rafah looms)
“They have always been optimistic for months since the beginning of January, and I know that Hamas continues to negotiate, although sometimes they stop,” Adi told DCNF. . “But right now it feels like a perfect storm. And everything has to come together somehow. Even if it’s a small humanitarian deal that can open the door to a bigger deal. , we need to start there, just to close the first small deal.”
Eden Alexander (right) and her mother Yael Alexander (left). (Photo provided by a representative of the bereaved family)
There are approximately 128 pieces hostage He is being held by Hamas, include Israeli and foreign civilians, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers.
The proposal currently being negotiated includes a 40-day ceasefire in exchange for up to 33 hostages currently held by Hamas, with the possibility of a longer ceasefire if both sides honor the agreement, Wall Street said.・The Journal reported. report on friday. The next phase of the ceasefire could last up to a year.
Yael and Adi told DCNF that Yidan was born in Tel Aviv, brought to the United States before his first birthday, and grew up primarily in New Jersey. He joined the Israel Defense Forces after graduating from high school and was serving at a small base near the Gaza border when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people and kidnapping hundreds more. .
“I got a call from him just before 7 a.m. and he was screaming, ‘Mom.’ It’s like a war here. I saw something terrifying. You won’t believe what I’m seeing,” Yael told DCNF. “And I think you’re okay, just protecting yourself. You’re okay…I told him I love you. That’s it. This is the last time I hear him talk.”
Edan Alexander’s father, Adi Alexander, spoke with U.S. Rep. Keith Self (R) before the start of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia Subcommittee Roundtable with families of individuals taken hostage by Hamas. , Texas). , November 29, 2023, at the Capitol in Washington, USA.Reuters/Elizabeth Franz
Later, Israeli intelligence contacted Yael and Adi and revealed that Edan was among those kidnapped during the attack, and footage recovered from October 7 shows him being arrested and taken away by Hamas operatives. The parents told the DCNF that they showed them body camera footage of the incident.
Yael and Adi have since spent their time raising awareness about their son and the hostages at press conferences and meetings with other hostage families. (Related: Secretary of Defense admits U.S. military may engage in gunfight with terrorists in Gaza)
“We met with President Biden twice, Vice President Kamala Harris twice, and many more times. [White House National Security Advisor] with jake sullivan [CIA Director] Bill Burns,” Addy told DCNF. Yael added that he is in weekly updates with the State Department.
Yael has also met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and his family has met with Israeli officials during a visit to the region. He told DCNF that the conversations on the Israeli side were highly confidential and closely guarded to ensure that no sensitive information was leaked.
“We try to keep them private, and there’s certainly a lot of confidential information shared there. So it’s a little different,” Addy told DCNF. “It also means the Israelis have to have bigger fish to fry.”
File photo: U.S. President Joe Biden (left) meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right) to discuss the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas on Wednesday, October 18, 2023 in Tel Aviv, Israel. .Miriam Alster/Pool, via Reuters/File photo
Yael and Adi told DCNF that although Hamas has rejected several proposals so far, there is hope that the U.S. and Israeli sides are close to a deal.sullivan Said MSNBC said in an April 26 interview that there was “new momentum” in the negotiations.
In one of the deadliest places in the world today, Yael and Adi share a common struggle when they learn that their relatives are being held by a terrorist organization. He told DCNF that their bond has deepened.
“The story and everything is unreal. It’s like the whole family is together now, we’re like an extended family, people we’ve never met before, and now we have a connection with them.” ,” Yael told DCNF. “They understand that, so I just want to spend time with them.”
Yael and Addy told DCNF that they were most looking forward to their son coming home so their family could regain some sense of normalcy. Addy joked that she would take a trip to the Bahamas to help Edan start applying to college.
“I’m not going to stop holding him,” Yael said.
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