Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, May 13, 2025
From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Witkoff gifts Edan Alexander his late son’s Star of David necklace
Nava Freiberg is The Times of Israel's deputy diplomatic correspondent.
Released hostage Edan Alexander wears a Star of David necklace given him by US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, which had belonged to Witkoff's late son Andrew, May 13, 2025. (Screen capture: Channel 12)
While visiting former American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander at Tel Aviv’s Sourasky Hospital this morning, US special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff gifted the 21-year-old a necklace that had belonged to Witkoff’s son, Andrew, who died in 2011, Channel 12 reports.
In a gesture that “moved Edan’s family to tears,” Witkoff handed over the keepsake — which the envoy had worn himself — to Alexander, a day after helping secure his freedom from Hamas, the network says.
US Special envoy Steve Witkoff, left, greets freed hostage Edan Alexander at the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center on May 13, 2025. (Office of the Special Envoy to the Middle East/X)
“You would be doing a great honor to my son if you keep wearing this,” Witkoff reportedly told Alexander, as he placed the necklace around the dual national’s neck.
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