Edan Alexander, 21, who was believed to be the final dwelling American citizen held hostage by Hamas in Gaza, was launched on Monday.
The militant group handed over Mr. Alexander as a part of a deal negotiated straight with the USA, with minimal Israeli involvement. President Trump had targeted on his launch since a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas collapsed in March.
On Monday, Mr. Trump stated Mr. Alexander was being launched and congratulated “his fantastic mother and father, household, and mates!” The discharge comes as Mr. Trump is about to journey to the Center East.
Who’s Edan Alexander?
Mr. Alexander is an American Israeli twin citizen who grew up in Tenafly, N.J.
In 2022, throughout his senior 12 months of highschool, he joined Garin Tzabar, which prepares younger individuals from world wide to affix the Israel Protection Forces. He moved to Israel to serve within the army after he graduated and was assigned to the infantry.
Mr. Alexander was stationed close to the border with Gaza in September 2023.
How was he taken hostage?
Mr. Alexander was kidnapped through the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led assault on Israel that ignited the battle in Gaza. He was taken from a tiny army outpost close to the border with Gaza.
Final 12 months, Hamas launched a video of him.
An American Israeli buddy of Mr. Alexander, Omer Neutra, who was serving in the identical publish, was additionally taken by Hamas.
In December, the White Home introduced that Mr. Neutra was killed on Oct. 7 and that Hamas had been holding his stays because the assault. He was 21.
How has Mr. Alexander’s household responded?
His mother and father, Adi and Yael Alexander, have been born in Israel, they usually have two different youngsters. They’ve advocated relentlessly for Mr. Alexander’s freedom, assembly with officers and talking at rallies.
“We reside in agony every day that passes with out our son,” his mother and father wrote in a guest essay for The New York Times in September after the invention of the physique of one other hostage, the Israeli American Hersh Goldberg-Polin.
On Sunday, the Alexanders traveled to Israel with Trump administration officers. In a press release, the household referred to as his coming return “the best reward conceivable” and urged Israel’s authorities to barter the discharge of the remaining captives, saying, “No hostage needs to be left behind.”
What’s his situation?
After information of Mr. Edan’s launch was confirmed by the Israeli army on Monday, there was little details about his situation. The army stated in a press release after the handover that he was on his strategy to Israel and would endure an preliminary medical evaluation and meet along with his household.
