Latest news with #YaelAlexander
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Freed Hamas hostage Edan Alexander evacuates Israel
(NewsNation) — An American-Israeli hostage who was held captive in the Gaza Strip for more than 19 months has left Israel amid Iranian strikes. NewsNation confirmed Edan Alexander evacuated Israel on Wednesday with his mother on a special evacuation flight back to the U.S. Once on American soil, he will return to his hometown of Tenafly, New Jersey, on Thursday. Iran strikes Israeli hospital as Trump weighs US intervention 'I want to tell you, Edan, we love you and we are so happy you're back,' Yitzchak Gershovitz, his family rabbi, told CBS News. 'This is our brother. Our son returns home, and our hearts are full of joy and happiness. There's only one word: it's a miracle of God.' The U.S. Embassy in Israel was working Thursday to evacuate Americans via flight and cruise ship, as the Israel-Iran conflict ramps up and President Donald Trump weighs potential U.S. military action. Taken from his military base in southern Israel during Hamas' attack on Oct. 7, 2023, Alexander was one of 251 kidnapped during the violence that claimed around 1,200 lives. He was believed to be the last remaining American-Israeli hostage in Gaza. During his captivity, his mother, Yael Alexander, told NewsNation, 'It's very, very tough to wake up every day. It's a nightmare, but this is our life now, and whatever we are doing, it's not enough.' After 584 days in captivity, Alexander was released May 12 as part of a deal brokered by the Trump administration. Israel will go it alone in Iran, if necessary: Ambassador Israel's retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed more than 55,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which doesn't differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count. The campaign has destroyed large areas of Gaza and displaced around 90% of its population. Hamas was hopeful to use Alexander's release to revive ceasefire talks, but Israel launched a renewed offensive days later. A permanent ceasefire has not yet been reached. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Parents of Israeli-American hostage returned from Gaza mark a week of freedom
For two days after Israeli-American soldier Edan Alexander was released from 19 months of captivity from Gaza, he couldn't eat anything. Then, his mother, Yael Alexander, put a burger and fries in front of him, and Edan dove in. It was one of many dizzying surprises his family has experienced since learning eight days ago that he would be freed after more than a year and a half in captivity in the Gaza Strip. (AP Video: Ami Bentov)
CBS News
13-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Edan Alexander's family describes his "battle between hope and despair" leading up to release
Edan Alexander's parents describe what their son went through while in Hamas captivity Edan Alexander's parents describe what their son went through while in Hamas captivity Edan Alexander's parents describe what their son went through while in Hamas captivity For the first time since the release Monday from Gaza of American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander's by the militant group Hamas, his family spoke publicly about what their emotional reunion was like, and what their son went through. In a news conference Tuesday from the hospital in Tel Aviv where her son is recovering, Yael Alexander said the moment she embraced him "time stood still," adding, "My heartbeat returned in sync with his." However, she also shared that during his more than 580 days in captivity, "Every minute was a battle between hope and despair." She said the reunion was also met with the pain of learning that her son faced "daily fear, hunger, the lack of water and appalling sanitary conditions." While being held in underground tunnels, Edan Alexander heard deafening explosions, the whistles of missiles, and felt the earth shaking, she said. Read more: Celebration in Edan Alexander's New Jersey hometown for his release Alexanders call for the release of the remaining hostages At the news conference, Yael Alexander said it was important to bring home the remaining hostages. The extended Alexander family held up photos of those still being held captive. Yael and her husband, Adi Alexander, thanked President Trump, who Edan Alexander spoke with by phone on Monday. Neither of them thanked Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however. "Soon, Edan will be home in the United States, in New Jersey, watching his little brother play basketball, reuniting with his friends in New Jersey. He's 21 now, and those happy kinds may include a beer, too, but we will never forget the first beer he had on the rooftop of this very building since his release," Adi Alexander said. Edan Alexander takes to social media for first time Edan Alexander on Tuesday created his first Instagram post of that moment, titling it, "Home sweet home." He was wearing a Star of David, a necklace given to him by Steve Witkoff, U.S. special envoy to the Middle East. It belonged to Witkoff's late son, Andrew. Witkoff's son, Alex, posted on X that Edan is "a true warrior and the necklace is a powerful reminder of his strength, survival, and pride in his Jewish heritage." It is unclear when Alexander will return to the U.S. Alexander grew up in New Jersey before moving to Israel. He was serving in the Israeli military on Oct. 7, 2023, when he was abducted during Hamas' assault on Israel.
CBS News
13-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Edan Alexander's family describes his "battle between hope and despair" leading up to release by Hamas
Edan Alexander's parents describe what their son went through while in Hamas captivity Edan Alexander's parents describe what their son went through while in Hamas captivity Edan Alexander's parents describe what their son went through while in Hamas captivity For the first time since American-Israeli Edan Alexander's release by Hamas, his family is speaking publicly about what their emotional reunion was like, and what their son went through. Speaking Tuesday from the hospital in Tel Aviv where her son is recovering, Yael Alexander said the moment she embraced him "time stood still," adding, "My heartbeat returned in sync with his." However, she also shared that during his more than 580 days in captivity, "Every minute was a battle between hope and despair." She said the reunion was also met with the pain of learning that her son faced "daily fear, hunger, the lack of water and appalling sanitary conditions." She says while being held in underground tunnels, Edan Alexander heard deafening explosions, the whistles of missiles, and the earth shaking. Read more: Celebration in Edan Alexander's New Jersey hometown for his release Alexanders call for the release of the remaining hostages Yael Alexander said it's important to bring home the remaining hostages who still live with the terror daily. The extended Alexander family stood alongside his parents, holding photos of those still being held captive. Yael and her husband, Adi Alexander, thanked President Trump, who Edan Alexander spoke with by phone on Monday. Neither of them thanked Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "Soon, Edan will be home in the United States, in New Jersey, watching his little brother play basketball, reuniting with his friends in New Jersey. He's 21 now, and those happy kinds may include a beer, too, but we will never forget the first beer he had on the rooftop of this very building since his release," Adi Alexander said. Edan Alexander takes to social media for first time Edan Alexander on Tuesday created his first Instagram post of that moment, titling it, "Home sweet home." He was wearing a Star of David, a necklace given to him by Steve Witkoff, the U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East. It belonged to Witkoff's late son, Andrew. Witkoff's son, Alex, posted on X, Edan is "a true warrior and the necklace is a powerful reminder of his strength, survival, and pride in his Jewish heritage." It is unclear when Edan Alexander will return to the U.S.
News24
13-05-2025
- Politics
- News24
Hugs and kisses as Israel-US hostage Edan Alexander is freed: ‘We were so worried'
Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander was freed on Monday. There was a brief pause in the fighting to facilitate his release. Israeli strikes killed three people when fighting resumed. An Israeli-American hostage was released from 19 months of captivity in Gaza during a brief pause in fighting on Monday and reunited with his family, but Israeli strikes on the battered enclave soon resumed. Israel's military received Edan Alexander, 21, from the International Committee of the Red Cross, which facilitated his transfer from Palestinian militant group Hamas. He was taken to an Israeli military facility and joined by his family. Video showed that his mother, Yael Alexander, cried as she hugged him, saying: 'How strong you are. I love you so much, Edan. We were so worried.' Alexander kissed and embraced his father, brother and sister as well. An Israeli Air Force helicopter then took Alexander and his family to a hospital where he was to receive treatment. Alexander was the last living American held by Hamas and Israel's Channel 12 said his condition was 'low', without citing a source. In photos provided by Israel, he looked pale but in good spirits. Fighting halted at 12:00 in Gaza after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would pause its operations to allow for the hostage release. Palestinian health officials reported Israeli tank shelling and an air attack after the hostage handover, and there was no deal on a wider truce or hostage releases as monitors warned of famine in the devastated enclave. After Israeli fire resumed, authorities in Gaza said an air strike killed three people and wounded several others at a shelter housing displaced families in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. A woman was killed and several other people wounded when tank shells hit a school housing displaced families in the Tuffah neighbourhood in the north of Gaza. Hamas said it freed Alexander as a goodwill gesture to US President Donald Trump, who is visiting the region this week. 'Edan Alexander, American hostage thought dead, to be released by Hamas. Great news!' Trump wrote on social media earlier on Monday. READ | Two Israel soldiers killed amid 'fierce fighting' with Hamas in Gaza Netanyahu said Alexander's release came thanks to Israel's military pressure in Gaza and political pressure by Trump. In a photo taken on the military helicopter and released by Israel, Alexander held a sign reading: 'Thank you, president Trump.' Netanyahu has said there will be no ceasefire and that plans to intensify military action in Gaza continued. 'Israel has not committed to a ceasefire of any kind,' Netanyahu's office said. After growing up in New Jersey, Alexander, who has dual citizenship, moved to Israel and was serving in the Israeli army when he was captured in Hamas' 2023 attack. #UPDATE Palestinian militant group Hamas said its armed wing handed over a US-Israeli hostage held in Gaza since October 2023 ahead of a regional visit by US President Donald Trump — AFP News Agency (@AFP) May 12, 2025 Social media video on Monday showed people dancing in the square of his hometown of Tenafly, New Jersey, after word of his release. The release, after four-way talks between Hamas, the US, Egypt and Qatar, could open the way to freeing the remaining 58 hostages in the Gaza Strip, 19 months after Hamas' attack on Israel on 7 October 2023. Qatar and Egypt said Alexander's release was an encouraging step toward new truce talks. Israel will send a delegation to Qatar on Thursday to discuss a new proposal aimed at securing further hostage releases, Netanyahu's office said. Before Alexander's release, Gaza health authorities said an Israeli strike killed at least 15 people sheltering at a school on Monday. Israel's military said it targeted Hamas fighters there who were preparing an attack. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, a global hunger monitor, reported on Monday that half a million people in the Gaza Strip face starvation and there is a critical risk of famine by September. Trump is due to visit Gulf states on a trip that does not include Israel but special envoy Steve Witkoff, who helped arrange Alexander's release, was expected in Israel on Monday. Alexander's family thanked Trump and Witkoff, saying they hoped the release would hasten the freeing of the remaining hostages. 'We urge the Israeli government and the negotiating teams: please don't stop,' they said. Israel's government has drawn criticism over the deal to free Alexander, which laid bare the priority given to hostages able to rely on the support of a foreign government. Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan is among 21 hostages still believed to be alive, said Netanyahu was choosing his political survival over ending the war. Addressing Trump in a statement she read with other hostage families, she said: 'The Israeli people are behind you. End this war. Bring them all home.' A ceasefire in late January halted fighting in Gaza for two months and allowed the exchange of 38 hostages for Palestinian prisoners and detainees in Israeli jails. Israel resumed its military campaign in March. It has since extended its control of the territory and blocked off aid, leaving its two million people increasingly short of food. Israeli forces invaded Gaza after a Hamas-led assault on Israel in October 2023 that killed 1 200 people and saw 251 taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies. Since then, over 52 000 Palestinians have been killed, Palestinian authorities say, and large swathes of the heavily built-up enclave have been laid to waste.
