by Dennis Augustine
Israeli-American soldier Edan Alexander, freed after 584 days in Hamas captivity, reunited with his family Monday at an IDF base in southern Israel. The 21-year-old Golani Brigade soldier, originally from New Jersey—just 17 miles from where I grew up—embraced his parents and siblings at the Re’im base, where he was also met with homemade pastries from his grandmother.
Alexander was handed over to the Red Cross in Khan Younis and crossed back into Israel unshackled and dressed in civilian clothes, due to the diplomatic nature of his release, which was framed as a goodwill gesture by U.S. President Donald Trump. In a message from the helicopter en route to a Tel Aviv hospital for medical evaluation, Alexander expressed gratitude to Trump and his mother Yael, thanked US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and US Hostage Envoy, Adam Boehler who aided the president in negotiating her son’s release.
“You are strong, you are safe, you are home,” his mother, Yael, told him in an emotional call as he reentered Israel.
Postscript: During his time in captivity by Hamas, Edan experienced torture, starved to skin and bone, stripped of his dignity and trapped in suffocating underground tunnels. He was also denied sunlight, and clean water. 58 hostages are still unaccounted for and only 20 are deemed to be alive. BRING THEM HOME & END THIS WAR!
