While the conflict has raged for 16 months, one American hostage remains alive in Gaza: Edan Alexander, an Israeli-American from Tenafly, New Jersey. He is believed to be the last living American hostage held by Hamas.
Born in Israel, Alexander moved to the U.S. with his parents a few months later, according to the AJC.
Alexander’s upbringing in New Jersey was typical of many American kids. He attended Tenafly High School, enjoyed swimming, and was a fan of the New York Knicks. Aside from frequent trips to Israel to see family and speaking Hebrew at home, his life was similar to that of other American teenagers.
After high school, Alexander chose to join the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) instead of going to college.
On October 7, when Hamas launched its attacks on Israel, Alexander was serving in the IDF’s Golani Brigade near Gaza. He was among those captured during the attacks.
Edan’s mother, Yael Alexander, described the day her son was taken hostage in an interview with AJC’s “People of the Pod.” Visiting family in Israel in early October 2023, she spoke with Edan on the morning of the 7th. He reported seeing “terrible stuff” but assured her he was safe before being taken hostage.
Yael spent days trying to learn what happened to her son, contacting hospitals and other sources. Eventually, the IDF informed her that he was a hostage.
On Nov. 30, 2024, over a year after his capture, Hamas released a video of Alexander speaking in Hebrew and Arabic. Like other hostages in similar videos, Alexander delivered propaganda messages referencing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the U.S. President-elect.
Adi Alexander, Edan’s father, described the video as “very emotional” and “disturbing” in an interview with “Fox & Friends First” shortly after its release. It was the first confirmation they had received that their son was alive since his capture.
Lawmakers in both Israel and the United States have been advocating for Alexander’s release for the past 16 months. However, he was not included in the initial group of hostages to be freed under the ceasefire agreement.
U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., met with Alexander’s parents, who reside in his district, shortly after the Tenafly High School alumnus was taken hostage.
“No family should ever have to experience this unfathomable pain, and I will do everything I can to reunite Edan with his family safely,” Gottheimer stated in a .
On the 300th day of Alexander’s captivity, Gov. , D-N.J., declared, “We must see Edan reunited with his family and community as soon as possible.”
In addition to Alexander, Hamas is holding the remains of four deceased American hostages. As part of the ongoing ceasefire deal with Israel, Hamas released six more hostages on Saturday in exchange for over 600 Palestinian prisoners. Negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire are expected to begin soon.
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