CV NEWS FEED // An American-Israeli soldier, the last US citizen held hostage by Hamas, was released Monday after being taken captive in the Gaza Strip during Hamas’ initial Oct. 7, 2023, attack.
AP News reported that Edan Alexander, 21, was received by the Red Cross and later handed over to Israeli forces. The outlet called the release a “goodwill gesture toward the Trump administration,” coinciding with President Donald Trump’s visit to the Middle East this week.
According to the New York Post, the Israeli military and Alexander’s extended family in Tel Aviv welcomed him back to Israel.
“The commanders and soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces salute and embrace the returning hostage as he makes his way home to the State of Israel,” the Israeli military said.
Alexander’s extended family watched his release on television, overcome with emotion as his 19-month captivity came to an end. In his hometown of Tenafly, New Jersey, hundreds of supporters gathered in the streets with “welcome home” signs to watch a livestream of the release.
According to the BBC, Alexander was transported to Re’im in southern Israel, where he will receive medical and psychological care.
On May 11, Trump celebrated the news of Alexander’s upcoming release on social media, calling it “a step taken in good faith towards the United States and the efforts of the mediators — Qatar and Egypt — to put an end to this very brutal war and return ALL living hostages and remains to their loved ones.”
MONUMENTAL NEWS: “I am happy to announce that Edan Alexander, an American citizen who has been held hostage since October 2023, is coming home to his family.” –President Donald J. Trump
pic.twitter.com/zTFBzD5rBN
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 11, 2025
Trump posted again May 12 to congratulate Alexander’s family and friends on his release.
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee also celebrated the release on X, saying that he is “relieved that American Edan Alexander finally gets to come home.”
“As @POTUS said, we hope that this long-overdue release marks the beginning of the end to this terrible war. Hamas alone is responsible for the continued death and suffering. We demand the immediate release of all remaining hostages,” he continued.
According to the BBC, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu credited military pressure and “political pressure exerted by President Trump” with Alexander’s release. Reporting from Jerusalem for the BBC, Middle East correspondent Lucy Williamson stated that “the release of this single Israeli-American soldier speaks volumes about the new pressures playing across the Middle East.”
“Hamas, under growing strain from Israel’s two-month blockade of humanitarian aid, is gambling on American goodwill to help push Israel into fresh negotiations on ending the war,” she reported, noting that Netanyahu is sending a delegation to Qatar for talks after speaking with Trump May 12.
“Trump is due to arrive in the Gulf tomorrow for a tour focused heavily on trade deals. His government has shown it’s prepared to act privately, without coordination with Israel, in negotiating for American interests in the Middle East,” Williamson added. “The release of Edan Alexander, secured through direct talks between Hamas and US officials, is evidence of that — and points to a new kind of American leverage and power.”
According to the New York Post, Netanyahu has stated that the release does not signal a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. He reportedly said that “The negotiations will continue under fire, during preparations for an intensification of the fighting.”
AP News reported that Israel says Hamas still holds 58 other hostages, with 23 believed to be still alive.
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