On Monday, Edan Alexander, the last hostage held by Hamas with ties to the US and Israel, was handed over to the Red Cross. He is expected to reunite with both Israeli and American families, health professionals, and officials as he makes his way back to Israel.
Alexander, originally from Tenafly, New Jersey, moved to Israel and enlisted in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), joining the Elite Golani Brigade. He was captured during a Hamas terrorist attack on October 7, 2023.
Early in the morning, many residents of Tenafly gathered to witness Alexander’s release.
The Red Cross had been unable to visit him during his nearly 600 days of captivity. He was scheduled to be delivered to Israeli forces in Gaza later that afternoon before heading home.
President Donald Trump expressed his support for Alexander’s release on his social media platform.
Family members of Alexander celebrated his return:
Once in Israel, Alexander was welcomed by relatives, Israeli hostage negotiator Gal Hirsch, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and a doctor who transported him to Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv for a health assessment.
Currently, there are still approximately 50 hostages in Gaza, with 20 to 23 being American. Since the violent events of October 7, 2023, Hamas has reportedly killed 40 US citizens and is holding 12 Americans among more than 250 hostages, which includes several that President Trump mentioned could still be released ahead of the 2024 election.
Families advocating for the release of Israeli hostages are pushing for further negotiations. Israel has claimed that Alexander was released “under fire,” and there were no concessions made by Israel. Hamas portrayed the release as a goodwill gesture prior to Trump’s visit to the region, but the situation is likely more complicated, possibly involving deals with local Arab nations.
