Hamas confirmed on Monday that it has released Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old U.S.-Israeli dual citizen. The militant group described as a step toward securing a ceasefire agreement with Israel. Alexander was the last known living American hostage held by Hamas in Gaza.
His release follows several days of negotiations between Hamas and U.S. officials and comes just days before former President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit the Middle East. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met on Monday with US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and advisor Witkoff, according to a statement from his office. Netanyahu also spoke with Trump, thanking him for his role in Alexander’s release. “The prime minister discussed the final push to implement the outline for the hostages’ release presented by Witkoff, prior to the escalation of fighting,” the statement said.
Who Is Edan Alexander?
Edan Alexander grew up in Tenafly, New Jersey, and holds dual U.S.-Israeli citizenship. In 2022, during his final year of high school, he joined Garin Tzabar, a program that prepares young Jews from around the world to serve in the Israel Defense Forces. After graduating, he moved to Israel and enlisted in the military, where he was assigned to an infantry unit. In September 2023, Alexander was stationed near the Gaza border. He was taken hostage during the October 7 Hamas-led assault on Israel, which marked the beginning of the war in Gaza. He was abducted from a small military outpost during the surprise attack. Hamas later released a video showing Alexander in captivity. His friend and fellow soldier, Omer Neutra, also an American Israeli, was taken during the same attack. In December, U.S. officials confirmed Neutra had been killed on October 7 and that Hamas had retained his remains.
Who are Edan Alexander’s parents?
Alexander’s parents, Adi and Yael, both originally from Israel, have been vocal advocates for his release. The couple, who have two other children, have met with officials and spoken at public rallies to keep attention on their son’s plight. In a New York Times essay published in September, they wrote, “We live in agony each day that passes without our son,” following the news that another Israeli American hostage, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, had been killed. On Sunday, the Alexanders traveled to Israel accompanied by Trump administration officials. In a statement, they called Edan’s return “the greatest gift imaginable” and urged the Israeli government to continue working toward the release of all hostages. “No hostage should be left behind,” the family said.
Hamas, in its statement, framed Alexander’s release as part of efforts to reach a ceasefire and confirmed ongoing contact with U.S. officials in recent days. On Truth Social, Trump celebrated the news, calling Alexander’s release “the first of those final steps necessary to end this brutal conflict.”