Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Monday, May 12, 2025
From the Liveblog of
Monday, May 12, 2025
Family of Edan Alexander was ‘completely surprised’ to learn of his impending release
Yael Alexander, left, and Adi Alexander, parents of Edan Alexander, an American-Israeli being held hostage by Hamas, listen as President Donald Trump speaks during a National Day of Prayer event in the Rose Garden of the White House, May 1, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Adi Alexander, the father of American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander, says the US-based family was completely surprised to hear about his imminent release by Hamas after over 580 days in captivity in Gaza.
“The entire family is now on the way to Israel,” Adi is quoted as saying by the Ynet news site. “We were completely surprised to receive the call from [Steve] Witkoff. We knew about the negotiations but not about such a dramatic development.
“It’s very symbolic and moving to get this news exactly on Mother’s Day.”
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