Released Israeli-American hostage's parents say the small things bring bliss as he recovers

TEL AVIV – For 2 days aft Israeli-American worker Edan Alexander was released from 19 months of captivity successful Gaza, helium couldn’t devour anything. Despite periods of adjacent starvation portion being held by Hamas militants, Alexander conscionable didn’t person an appetite.

Then, his mother, Yael Alexander, enactment a burger and fries successful beforehand of him, and her lad dove in.

It was 1 of galore joyful moments his household has experienced since learning helium would beryllium freed.

Hamas portrayed the merchandise of Alexander, the past surviving American hostage successful Gaza, arsenic a motion to President Donald Trump up of his Mideast tour past week, which the militants hoped would revive ceasefire talks. Instead, Israel launched a renewed offensive days aboriginal that families of the remaining hostages fearfulness could enactment their loved ones successful sedate danger.

Alexander's begetter was somewhat heartened by Israel's announcement Monday that some assistance was going into Gaza for the archetypal clip successful 2 1/2 months.

“That’s the archetypal measurement forward, truthful hopefully we’ll spot different ceasefire, much releases and the extremity to this conflict,” Adi Alexander said. “It’s been excessively long, excessively much, and you can’t dainty agony with much agony. It’s enough.”

He urged Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to "rise supra authorities to prioritize quality life.”

Eight missed calls connected Mother's Day

The household had conscionable finished celebrating Mother's Day astatine their location successful New Jersey erstwhile Adi Alexander saw 8 missed calls from Steve Witkoff, Trump's Mideast envoy. Witkoff told them to crook connected the TV due to the fact that Hamas was astir to denote their lad would beryllium released.

“We were freaking out,” helium said. The household raced to publication flights to Israel. Alexander's parent traveled with Trump’s hostage negotiator, Adam Boehler. His begetter and the couple's different 2 children arrived conscionable minutes earlier Edan Alexander crossed into Israel from Gaza.

Alexander was 1 of 251 radical kidnapped during Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, onslaught connected Israel, successful which Palestinian militants killed immoderate 1,200 people, mostly civilians. Hamas is inactive holding 58 hostages, astir a 3rd of them believed to beryllium alive, aft astir of the remainder were released successful ceasefires oregon different deals. Israeli forces person rescued 8 hostages live and recovered much than 40 bodies.

Israel’s retaliatory violative successful Gaza has killed much than 53,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t differentiate betwixt civilians and combatants successful its count. The run has destroyed ample areas of Gaza and displaced astir 90% of its population.

Moved betwixt tunnels

The lowest constituent of his 584 days of captivity, Alexander told his parents, was being dragged into Gaza and pushed into a tunnel. For hours, helium was held unsocial underground until 10 different hostages were thrust successful with him.

That came arsenic a relief. His begetter said his son’s biggest fearfulness was being kidnapped alone, similar an Israeli worker captured successful Gaza successful 2006, who was held for years until helium was released successful a 2011 speech for much than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners.

Edan Alexander told his parents helium was kept mostly underground and moved often betwixt tunnels with different hostages. There was precise small food, and helium seldom saw sunlight oregon was capable to respire caller air. In the beginning, similar galore different antheral hostages, helium was kept handcuffed, sometimes with a sack implicit his head, and interrogated.

The 6-foot-tall (180 cm) Alexander dropped to astir 130 pounds (60 kilograms) from astir 175 pounds (80 kilograms) earlier helium was kidnapped.

The conditions of his son’s captivity improved somewhat pursuing Trump’s predetermination successful November, Adi Alexander said. During a weekslong ceasefire earlier this year, helium was fixed nutrient and vegetables for the archetypal time, but that ended erstwhile Israel reimposed the blockade connected Gaza successful March.

A household reunited with their lad vows to support warring for others

Adi Alexander said the household is beyond grateful to Trump and the American officials who worked tirelessly to escaped their son. He lived successful Maryland arsenic a young kid and graduated from precocious schoolhouse successful Tenafly, New Jersey. He moved to Israel successful 2022 and volunteered for the Israeli army.

The time aft Alexander's release, American officials Boehler and Witkoff visited what's travel to beryllium known arsenic Hostage Square successful Tel Aviv, gathering with families of those held successful Gaza.

Hostage families said they near the gathering optimistic determination would beryllium much releases. But Trump ended a whirlwind travel done 3 Gulf countries without further announcements, and Israel renewed its subject run connected Saturday, dashing hopes for contiguous releases.

Alexander's parents said arsenic soon arsenic they drawback their enactment the household volition resume the combat to triumph the hostages' release. They person been a changeless beingness astatine rallies, speaking with the media and politicians, shuttling betwixt New Jersey, Washington and Israel. Alexander's terminally-ill great-aunt managed to clasp connected until helium was safe. She died conscionable aft proceeding helium was with the Red Cross, Yael Alexander said.

Moments of quiescent arsenic betterment begins

Edan Alexander returned anemic and pale, but his parents accidental they spot him gaining spot each day. The hamburger 2 days aft his merchandise was a turning point.

“I was sitting determination and looking astatine him with this large grin connected my face, and I’m like, ohio my God, due to the fact that helium was like, craving the hamburger,” Yael Alexander said.

For now, Edan Alexander is backmost successful the country successful his grandmother’s flat successful Tel Aviv wherever helium stayed during breaks from the service earlier his abduction.

He’s reconnected with immoderate hostages, including Sagui Dekel Chen, an American-Israeli who was released during the erstwhile ceasefire. He’s visiting with aged friends from the service and New Jersey, squeezing successful doctor’s appointments betwixt hanging retired with his siblings.

There are quiescent moments that person stuck retired to his parent implicit the past week, erstwhile helium does mean things, similar scrolling done Spotify. Seeing her 3 children together. Simply being capable to interaction him, hug him.

It's a agelong way to recovery, but determination are moments of bliss, similar seeing him stock a brew with his sister connected the infirmary rooftop. It was his archetypal “legal” beer, since helium turned 21 successful captivity, a rite of transition since that's the ineligible drinking property successful the U.S.

“It was like, I’m here, I’m back, I person my sunglasses, I person a brew successful my hand, and we are each good,” she said.

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