Israel Defense Forces Sgt. First Class Edan Alexander vowed on Wednesday to use what he had learned during his 584 days as a Hamas captive against the terrorist organization.
Speaking in uniform before a group of 1,000 American visiting pastors and Christian leaders at the Nova Festival Victims Memorial site near the Gaza border, he sent a message to the terrorists who abducted him on Oct. 7, 2023: “You gave me hell? I’ll give you hell back.”
Alexander, 21, who was freed from Gaza in May, resumed his military service in October.
“Oct. 7 hit us like a truck. I remember being on the post not too far from here, [between] Nir Oz and Nirim. I was 700 meters away from the border, and I was left alone in the base. So now I’m like a duck in the range. I had nothing to do. Fought for a bit, and then I came into Gaza,” said Alexander.
He recounted how despite growing up in the United States, with dual Israeli-American citizenship, he made a resolution in high school “as a Jew, as a Zionist,” to enlist in the IDF.
“After being [in captivity] for a year and seven months, I told myself there’s no way I made this whole process of coming here to Israel and drafting, going to a top unit for [only] 10 months... I said I need to complete [the full] two years and eight months, or even more,” he said.
He stressed that after his release he made a decision to “close the circle.”
Now “I know their language, I know their culture, I know a lot of things about these demons—I told myself there’s no way I’ll take this present and put it aside. I have to use it,” he said.
Alexander said that the event was the first time since his release that he had worn his uniform within sight of Gaza. “This is what I want,” he continued. “I wanted them to see that I’ll never break and that I’ll return my favor. You gave me hell? I’ll give you hell back.”
Born in Tel Aviv, Alexander moved with his family to the United States when he was a baby. He grew up in New Jersey.
Serving in the Golani Brigade, he was stationed at the Kissufim post near Kibbutz Kissufim when Hamas terrorists overran the post and abducted him.
Alexander was the first male soldier taken on Oct. 7 to be freed. He was returned to Israel on May 12 as part of an agreement between Washington and Hamas.
