Freed hostage Edan Alexander given jubilant welcome as he returns home to New Jersey
IDF soldier who Hamas released from captivity last month as gesture to Trump is welcomed by crowd of hundreds in his hometown of Tenafly
Luke Tress is The Times of Israel's New York correspondent.
Edan Alexander, an American-Israeli who was released from Hamas captivity last month, on Thursday returned home to jubilant crowds in New Jersey.
Hundreds lined the streets of Alexander’s hometown, Tenafly. The crowd cheered, waved Israeli flags, held signs that said “Welcome home,” and chanted “Edan,” according to a video shared by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a hostage advocacy group.
Alexander, smiling and wearing black sunglasses, drove through the crowd in the passenger seat of a black SUV, escorted by a police motorcade.
“In these difficult times, it’s more important than ever to pause and cherish the moments of hope and joy,” the hostages forum said. “His homecoming stands as a beacon of light. May all the hostages experience reunions filled with the same warmth, strength and hope.”
Alexander was released on May 12 after 584 days as a hostage. His release was characterized by the Hamas terror group as a goodwill gesture to US President Donald Trump in the hope that he would coax Israel into agreeing to a deal to end the war.
Political leaders in New Jersey and New York issued public statements welcoming Alexander home.
US Representative Josh Gottheimer, a Jewish New Jersey Democrat, said, “Today is a huge day worthy of great celebration across our state.”
“Edan’s return is a reminder that we must not rest until every last hostage is reunited with their families and loved ones,” he said.
Tenafly, a leafy suburb across the Hudson River from New York City, is home to a large Jewish and Israeli expat community.
While he was a hostage, Alexander became a cause célèbre in the community, with posters calling for his release visible on streets, lawns and stores.
His release from captivity was a major event for the community, drawing hundreds of spectators who watched the news developments on a projector in a park.
Alexander was born to Israeli parents living in Tenafly and joined the IDF after graduating from high school. He was taken hostage during Hamas’s October 7, 2023, invasion of Israel.
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