'Anyone's Son': NJ Man Who Was Held Hostage By Hamas Is Released

NORTH JERSEY — The terror group Hamas has released a man from Bergen County whom they've held hostage since their Oct. 7, 2023 attack in Israel, according to officials.

Edan Alexander, a Tenafly High School graduate, was serving in the Israeli Defense Forces near the Gaza Strip in October 2023 when Hamas kidnapped him, officials said. He was 19 at the time.

The militant group Hamas killed as many as 1,200 people, including children, on that October morning, and kidnapped hundreds of others off the street. Among those killed were more than 200 attending a music festival.

Hamas said back in March that they would release Alexander, along with four bodies of "dual nationals." But they did not.

In April, they used him in a video to put pressure on Israeli leaders.

He was finally released to his family around noon on Monday.

After his release, Rep. Josh Gottheimer, who is also from Bergen County, said, “Like everyone here in Jersey, I’m overwhelmed with emotion and joy. It’s hard to believe. After being kidnapped by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, and enduring 584 days of relentless torture and suffering, 21-year-old Edan Alexander — my constituent from Tenafly, NJ — is finally coming home.

"Edan is an all-American kid who could have been anyone’s son. Through it all, the Alexander family never gave up hope — and neither did we. From traveling to Qatar and Egypt to the UAE and Israel, to pushing the Administration at every level, with the leadership of his parents, we fought tirelessly to bring him back home."

He added, "This war is not over until all the hostages are released and Israel’s security is guaranteed. That includes the return of the remains of the four Americans who were brutally murdered at the hands of Hamas — Omer Neutra, Itay Chen, Gadi Haggai, and Judi Weinstein Haggai. We will not rest until every last hostage is reunited with their families and loved ones.”

Crowd Awaits

A crowd had gathered in Tenafly on Monday morning to watch a livestream to see Alexander released.

A temple in Bergen County wrote on Sunday, "Tomorrow marks a moment we’ve all been waiting for with full hearts and hopeful prayers—Edan Alexander is coming home! He will be released at 5 a.m./12 p.m. Israel time, and we want to celebrate this extraordinary moment together. We are setting up livestream screens in front of Cafe Angelique in Huyler Park, and we invite everyone of you to join us in this heartfelt celebration. Bring your flags, your warmth, and your spirit. Let’s welcome Edan home together."

At least 40,000 Palestinian adults and children have also died in the Gaza conflict that has raged since October 2023, reported international news outlets.