At about 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) shared a bipartisan letter he helped lead urging U.S. President Donald Trump, ahead of his trip to the Middle East, to prioritize the release of Edan Alexander, 21, thought to be the last surviving American hostage.
“It’s been months since the last hostage exchange, with no new meaningful progress from this administration to bring them all home,” the Jewish congressman wrote.
Just over six hours later, after news broke that a deal to release Alexander may be in the works, Gottheimer wrote that “we are praying that, after 583 days of captivity at the hands of Hamas terrorists, my constituent, American Edan Alexander, is finally released.”
“I will not rest until Edan comes home to Tenafly, N.J., and all of the hostages are back with their loved ones,” Gottheimer stated. He added that the Alexander family’s “strength has been a constant inspiration to us all.”
Gottheimer penned the letter, dated May 9, with 49 other members of the U.S. House, from both sides of the aisle.
“Securing the release of all five American hostages is critical as every additional moment in captivity is a matter of life or death,” the congressmen wrote. “We urge you to avail yourself of all available options and diplomatic channels to achieve a deal for their release.”
“Our government’s most solemn responsibility is to keep Americans safe. With that responsibility in mind, we urge you to use all diplomatic tools at your disposal, in concert with our regional allies and partners, to ensure Edan’s release and the release of the remains of the deceased American hostages as soon as possible,” the lawmakers wrote. “Every day in captivity adds to the nightmare for the hostages and their families. We must bring them home now.”