Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old Israeli-American soldier, was released by Hamas on May 12, 2025, after 584 days (over 19 months) in captivity, following his abduction during the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. The emotional reunion with his family took place at Re’im military base in southern Israel, where he embraced his parents, Yael and Adi, his siblings, and later his grandmother, Varda Ben Baruch, at Sourasky Hospital in Tel Aviv. Video footage captured Alexander laughing and weeping as he hugged his family, with his mother Yael saying, “How strong you are. I love you so much, Edan. We were so worried.” His first words to his mother over the phone were, “Mom, I’m OK.”
The release, facilitated by the Red Cross and direct U.S.-Hamas talks in Qatar, was described as a “goodwill gesture” by Hamas toward the Trump administration, with no ceasefire agreed upon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu credited IDF military pressure and U.S. diplomacy, while Alexander’s family expressed immense relief, calling it “the greatest gift imaginable.” However, Alexander reportedly endured severe torture, including being held handcuffed in a cage and interrogated in a Hamas tunnel. Celebrations erupted in Tel Aviv and his hometown of Tenafly, New Jersey, though concerns remain for the 58 hostages still in Gaza, with an estimated 23 believed alive.web:1,2,4,7,10,15,23post:0,3,6,7