Who's Edan Alexander, the Israeli-American hostage launched by Hamas?

[ad_1] JERUSALEM (AP) — Edan Alexander was 19 when Hamas militants stormed the Israeli army 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 visit to the region this week. The militant group referred to as it a goodwill gesture aimed toward reviving mediated efforts to finish the 19-month warfare.

Alexander was amongst 251 folks taken hostage in Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack that ignited the war . 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.

After Hamas introduced on Sunday he can be launched, Alexander’s household mentioned it “obtained the best reward possible — information that our stunning son Edan is returning residence after 583 days in captivity in Gaza.”

Alexander’s dad and mom 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.

Family and mates of Israeli-American soldier Edan Alexander collect to look at the TV broadcast of his launch from Hamas captivity in Gaza, in Tel Aviv, Monday, Could 12, 2025. Alexander was kidnapped in the course of the Hamas-led assault on his base on October 7, 2023. (AP Photograph/Ohad Zwigenberg)

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A local of Tenafly, a suburb of New York Metropolis, Edan Alexander moved to Israel in 2022 after highschool and enlisted within the army. Hamas militants seized him from his army 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.

Hostages freed since then have given the household extra information, his father mentioned. Some mentioned Alexander had misplaced a number of weight. Others mentioned he’d been an advocate for fellow hostages, standing up for captive Thai workers and telling their captors that the employees weren’t concerned within the battle and ought to be freed.

Alexander, like different male troopers held in Gaza, was not included amongst hostages launched throughout a ceasefire earlier this 12 months. Hamas launched 25 Israeli hostages and the bodies of eight others in January and February in return for nearly 1,800 Palestinian prisoners. The sight of some emaciated hostages amongst these freed introduced recent despair to households whose family members remained in Gaza.

Hamas has mentioned it's going to solely launch the remaining hostages in change for an enduring ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, together with the discharge of extra Palestinian prisoners. Israel has rejected these phrases, saying it's going to proceed the warfare till all of the hostages are freed and Hamas is defeated.

This undated picture launched by the Hostages and Lacking Households Discussion board exhibits Israeli-American soldier Edan Alexander, who was kidnapped and dropped at Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023. (Hostages and Lacking Households Discussion board through AP)

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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 hundreds of Palestinians . Israel referred to as the renewed bombardment a tactic to strain Hamas to barter totally different ceasefire phrases. Hamas mentioned the offensive places remaining hostages in danger.

In April, Hamas printed one other video of Alexander by which 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 cease,” Alexander’s household mentioned. “We hope our son’s launch begins negotiations for all 58 remaining hostages, ending this nightmare for them and their households.”

Varda Ben Baruch, holds an image of her grandson Edan Alexander who's held hostage in Gaza, close to the Gaza border in Kibbutz Nir Oz, southern Israel, on April 20, 2025. (AP Photograph/Ohad Zwigenberg, File)

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Lidman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. Related Press author Sam Mednick in Tel Aviv contributed.

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Observe AP’s warfare protection at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

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