The governor of Edan Alexander’s home state told JNS that he is “just incredibly relieved and incredibly thankful” at the news that the last American hostage believed to be alive was released by Hamas after 584 days in captivity.
“This is a huge day for, obviously, most importantly, the Alexander family, but for New Jersey and for America more broadly,” New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, told JNS.
Murphy plans to meet with the Alexander family, including Edan, in the not-so-distant future. The Alexanders, state officials and community and faith leaders were guests at the annual pre-Passover Seder, which Murphy and his wife Tammy Murphy held at Drumthwacket, the governor’s official residence, on April 8.
“We have stayed very close to his family,” Murphy told JNS. “We’ve gotten to know his mom and dad and brother and sister well. We’re incredibly, incredibly happy for them. I can only imagine what it must be like.”
Alexander was born in Israel and grew up in New Jersey. After high school, he returned to Israel and enlisted in the Israel Defense Forces. Hamas terrorists captured the dual U.S.-Israeli citizen on Oct. 7.
Murphy told JNS that Alexander’s release is a “huge relief, especially for his family, obviously.”
Hamas is believed to be holding the bodies of four other American hostages—Omer Neutra, Itay Chen, Gadi Haggai and Judi Weinstein Haggai. Hamas also holds dozens of others captured on Oct. 7.
Murphy credited both U.S. President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden with helping to free Alexander.
“Both administrations worked this very hard,” he told JNS. “I know both the Biden and Trump teams prioritized Edan’s release. I don’t have insights, but I know there were a lot of people out there, most importantly his family, just staying ever vigilant, never giving up.”
“Obviously, thank God, this is the culmination of that,” he said.
Murphy, Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and other officials in the Garden State had also highlighted the fact that Alexander remained in captivity prior to his release.
“I don’t know if it impacted his release, but I do know that we were a small part of keeping this in front of mind for anybody out there who cared in the least about the innocent lives that were being held,” Murphy told JNS.
“Edan was the last American hostage being held there. Making sure people knew that and that they never forgot that, in our own small way, I think that was important,” he said. “I can’t say that it had anything to do with his release, but again, his family deserves the top billing here. They were unbelievably relentless and just a great family, and bless them all.”
