The US Special Envoy, Steve Witkoff, captured a heartfelt moment on camera when he handed his phone to Yael Alexander, the mother of Edan Alexander. Edan, a 21-year-old American-Israeli, has been held hostage by Hamas, and this was their first conversation on Monday.
A video shared by the Israeli Defence Force via the official White House X account shows Alexander’s joy as she hears her son’s voice for the first time. Overwhelmed, she begins speaking to him in Hebrew before switching to English.
Here’s an emotional moment. Edan Alexander, held captive by Hamas for 584 days, finally speaks to his mother.
Witkoff hands her the phone, and there are tears.
The Trump administration is committed to bringing everyone home. 🎗🎗️🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/agfjwwwhca
– White House (@WhiteHouse) May 12, 2025
This touching encounter came after Alexander’s last contact with Edan, who had called her during the attack by Hamas militants on October 7, 2023. He expressed disbelief at the situation he was witnessing.
“Just listen to me, Edan. I’m right here. I love you. Stay safe,” she told him during that last conversation.
After five days of not knowing his whereabouts, his family received the heartbreaking news that Edan had been taken hostage.
“I feel like I’ve been on the edge since October 7th. It’s been purely adrenaline every single day; it’s unimaginable to think of him being kept in those tunnels,” she remarked earlier this year.
Edan was announced released on Monday by President Donald Trump, who expressed his gratitude towards Qatar and Egypt for their mediation efforts, describing it as a “first step in the final stages necessary to end this brutal conflict.”
Edan is the most recent Israeli and the last known American hostage still alive released by Hamas. Reports indicate that at least 20 living hostages, alongside the remains of four American citizens, remain under the control of terrorist groups.
