President Trump announced on Friday that he met in the Oval Office with Edan Alexander, a dual American and Israeli citizen who was held hostage in Gaza for nearly 600 days.
Mr. Alexander, who was released in May, was accompanied by his mother, Adi Alexander, and father, Yael Alexander, from Tenafly, N.J. Reports indicated that he was welcomed at the White House by President Trump on Thursday.
In a video posted on his Truth Social site, Mr. Trump shared footage of Mr. Alexander, 21, receiving greetings in the Oval Office from officials including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
A video shared by one of Mr. Trump’s aides shows the president, alongside First Lady Melania Trump, conveying to Mr. Alexander and his parents that it was “very important” to the First Lady that he returned home safely, emphasizing that Mr. Alexander’s American citizenship “had a big impact.”
Mr. Alexander was abducted during the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel, which escalated into the ongoing war in Gaza. At the time, he was serving in the Israeli military's infantry when he was taken from a military outpost near the Gaza border.
Following his release in May, Mr. Alexander's family expressed deep emotions as they were reunited. His parents had tirelessly campaigned for his freedom and had traveled from the United States to Israel with Trump administration officials to secure his release.
“We never lost hope,” Adi Alexander stated in May after his son’s release. “I could not allow myself to think any other way.”
Having grown up in Tenafly, Mr. Alexander was known as a star swimmer in high school. His father reported that he endured significant hardships during his captivity, including being handcuffed, beaten, and interrogated. He experienced poor living conditions, lacking adequate food and suffering from bedbug bites.
Despite the challenges of his captivity, Mr. Alexander is reportedly recovering. “He was this goofy, funny guy,” his father remarked. “He’s still funny. I don’t think he’s a different person. He is simply tired.”
The meeting between Mr. Trump and Mr. Alexander followed the president's announcement on Tuesday regarding Israel's agreement to “conditions to finalize” a 60-day cease-fire with Hamas. Mr. Trump is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu next week in the United States.