Edan Alexander, the American-Israeli who endured captivity at the hands of Hamas, met with President Donald Trump at the White House today.
Also in attendance were a group of senior U.S. officials, including Steve Witkoff, serving as the Special Envoy to the Middle East, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
Alexander was joined by his immediate family for the occasion—his parents, Adi and Yael, his sister Mika, and his brother Roy all accompanied him for the visit.
During the thirty-minute sit-down, Edan shared with President Trump that conditions in captivity improved after the U.S. election. He expressed optimism that Trump could help bring about the release of the remaining captives. He told the president: “I fear continued fighting endangers the hostages and hope you can achieve another historic breakthrough—a comprehensive deal to free them all, all 50 hostages. You are the person who can make it happen.”
After the meeting concluded, Edan remarked, “I came to thank the person who is responsible for saving my life. I was deeply moved to be in the White House—the same place where my parents had been many times during their fight for my release, but this time together with them.”
Reflecting on the encounter, he said: “I told the most powerful man in the world what I went through, what my friends there are going through, and asked him to continue doing everything in his power. I shared with the President my fear that continued fighting endangers the hostages, and that I hope he can achieve another historic breakthrough—a comprehensive deal to free them all, all 50 hostages. I told him I’m confident he is the person who can make it happen. I’m deeply moved that I could celebrate my own freedom on the eve of Independence Day.”
Edan, a dual national of the United States and Israel, had relocated on his own to enlist in the IDF, where he joined the Golani Brigade as a lone soldier. He was abducted by Hamas on October 7 and eventually released after spending 584 days in captivity, the result of a U.S.-brokered agreement.
{Matzav.com}