The release of Edan Alexander after 584 days in Hamas captivity prompted celebrations from U.S. elected officials, American Jewish groups and residents of the Israeli-American’s home state of New Jersey on Monday.
Local media reported that hundreds of people gathered in Alexander’s hometown of Tenafly, N.J., to dance and cheer for the 21-year-old’s return from captivity in Gaza. Hamas terrorists kidnapped Alexander, who was serving as a soldier in the Israeli army, on Oct. 7.
Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), who represents Tenafly and has long advocated for Alexander’s return, told JNS that the scene in the town center was “overwhelming.”
“Seeing the community come together starting at 5:00 this morning was just yet another sign of the strength and resiliency of not just Tenafly and not just Jersey, but really a sign of an incredible family, who never lost faith or hope for one minute,” Gottheimer said. “We saw Edan, and the crowd just erupted.”
“I spoke to the family yesterday, as I do most days, and we’d been here before, where you thought he was getting out, and we were so close,” Gottheimer said. “I had faith and hope that this day would come, and here we are. I just can’t wait to give him a hug.”
The Israeli Defense Forces released video footage on Monday afternoon of Alexander reuniting with his mother, father and other family members.
“If that didn’t bring you to tears, I don’t know what will,” Gottheimer said.
Alexander is believed to have been the last living American hostage in Hamas captivity, though the terror group continues to hold the corpses of four Americans. Following Alexander’s release, Hamas now holds 58 hostages, with less than half thought to be alive.
The first hostage to be freed since February, Alexander is the only male soldier taken on Oct. 7 to return from captivity so far.
Jewish groups, including the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee and the Jewish Federations of North America, cheered Alexander’s liberation from Gaza.
“Jewish Federations have prayed 19 months for the return of every person taken hostage by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7, 2023,” the Federation stated. “Along the way, we have rejoiced at those who have returned home safely and mourned those who have not. We will continue those prayers until the remaining 58 are released.”
U.S. President Donald Trump took off for a trip to the Middle East on Monday morning, with stops planned in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, the latter of which helped negotiate Alexander’s release.
Trump also hinted during a press conference in the Roosevelt Room of the White House that he might travel to Turkey. He is not expected to visit Israel on this trip.
The White House posted an image of Alexander in an IDF helicopter, en route to Tel Aviv’s Sourasky Medical Center.
In the photo, Alexander holds a whiteboard with the message, “Thank you, President Trump” in English and Am Yisrael chai (“the nation of Israel lives”) in Hebrew, along with the name of his infantry unit.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, thanked Trump, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, for Alexander’s freedom.
“With every day that Edan has been held hostage, the Alexander family has endured unimaginable pain, uncertainty and fear,” Murphy wrote. “With Edan’s return home, their—and our—prayers have finally been answered.”
‘We’re getting an American home’
U.S. elected officials from both parties welcomed the end of Alexander’s captivity and called on Hamas to release all of the remaining hostages.
“It is unconscionable that Hamas continues to prolong the pain of the remaining hostages and their families,” Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) wrote. “Every hostage must be released now.”
Some supporters and critics of Israel differed, however, on what the next step should be in the wider Israel-Hamas war.
“We should encourage Israel to keep up the pressure to destroy Hamas and bring all the hostages home,” Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) wrote.
Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) stated following Alexander’s release that, along with a return of the remaining hostages, there should be a ceasefire and an influx of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.
The New Jersey Democrat urged Trump to negotiate a settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict during his Middle East trip.
“The work must continue to achieve a two-state solution that affirms and protects Israel’s right to exist as a democratic Jewish state and ensures the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and a state of their own,” Booker wrote. “I urge the Trump administration to stress this during the president’s upcoming visit to the region.”
Gottheimer told JNS that while he hopes that Alexander’s release is a breakthrough that could lead to the release of the remaining hostages, the goals of “crushing the terrorists” and securing the release of the remaining hostages remain unchanged.
“I think the focus today should be on the good news,” Gottheimer said. “We’re getting an American home, and we never leave an American behind.”
“Seeing him hug his parents—that could be any of us with our kids, and that’s all I was really thinking about today,” he added. “It’s what I’ve been thinking about now for more than 18 months.”