May 12, 2025, New York, NY – The American Jewish Congress welcomes the release of the hostage Edan Alexander after 584 days of unimaginable captivity at the hands of the brutal terrorist organization Hamas. Edan, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, was freed following sustained diplomatic efforts by the United States, and we are deeply moved to see him reunited with his family.
Edan Alexander grew up in Tenafly, New Jersey, and at the age of 18 made aliyah to Israel to volunteer for military service in the IDF’s Golani Brigade. He lived with his grandparents in Tel Aviv and with his unit in Kibbutz Hazor. He is the beloved son of Yael and Adi, and older brother to Mika and Roy. In high school, Edan was a competitive swimmer and an avid outdoor athlete. He was abducted on the morning of October 7th from his army base in southern Israel, where he had volunteered to stay and help over the weekend, even though it was not his scheduled duty.
Yet even as we celebrate, we remain gravely concerned for the 58 hostages who are still being held in Gaza. Every hour they remain in captivity represents an immediate threat to their lives and an ongoing human tragedy. Their continued imprisonment is a moral outrage that demands the world’s urgent attention and action.
Today, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and also spoke with President Trump. Encouragingly, this dialogue led to the announcement that an Israeli delegation will depart tomorrow for Doha to renew negotiations for the release of the remaining hostages.
The American Jewish Congress continues to monitor the situation closely and remains steadfast in advocating for the immediate and unconditional release of all 58 hostages. The fight for their freedom is not over, and neither is our commitment.
