BREAKING: Last Living American Hostage Edan Alexander Released Following Trump Admin Efforts

American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander was released on Monday after 584 days in Hamas captivity.

The 21-year-old’s release was negotiated by the Trump administration with Hamas not getting any Arab prisoners in exchange, as it has in previous deals.

Alexander was born in Rockville, Maryland, before moving to New Jersey. He joined the Israel Defense Forces after high school and was taken captive during Hamas’ October 7 massacre while at a small outpost by Kibbutz Nir Oz. He has been seen in Hamas propaganda videos, and is the first male IDF soldier abducted during Hamas’ October 7 massacre to be released.

Alexander’s parents fought tirelessly for his release, meeting with world leaders, speaking at high-profile events, and constantly keeping his name in the media.

While preparing for his release, Yael Alexander traveled to the IDF’s Re’im base on the Gaza border to greet him as he arrived in Israel. His grandmother, Varda, prepared her grandson’s favorite dishes while taking questions from reporters.

Alexander was handed over by Hamas to the Red Cross in Khan Younis without a public propaganda ceremony, which Hamas had done with other hostage handovers to humiliate them.

BRUCE PEARL USES FINAL FOUR SPOTLIGHT FOR AMERICAN HOSTAGE EDAN ALEXANDER: ‘NOBODY KNOWS HIS NAME’

The Alexander family said that after Edan’s release, he may travel to Qatar to meet President Donald Trump this week, depending on his medical condition, Israel Hayom reported.

In a February speech at CPAC, Adi Alexander described his son as an “all-American kid.”

“He decided on a gap year to enlist in the IDF because of his love for both of his countries,” he said.

Adi said he has spoken to Trump several times, and that the president was shocked by the fact that 45 Americans were killed on October 7.

“Ever since we met him, he took ownership on this matter, recognizing that Americans are still being held,” he said. “We are very grateful for that but we have to push forward until they are all out.”

Adi Alexander, the father of the last American believed to be alive in Hamas captivity, spoke about his son on @CPAC‘s main stage today.

“Edan is an all-American kid,” Adi said. “He decided to take a gap year to enlist in the IDF because of his love for both of his countries.” pic.twitter.com/oT6RMkfwom

— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) February 20, 2025

Fifty-eight hostages remain in Gaza, including the bodies of four American citizens: Judith Weinstein Haggai, Gadi Haggai, Itay Chen, and Omer Neutra.

On Monday, the Hostage and Missing Families Forum published an ad in the New York Post, pleading for the remaining hostages not to be forgotten and declaring that their “hope rests” with Trump.

Speaking at the White House on Monday, Trump said he hopes that “we’re going to have other hostages released.”

He added that with Alexander’s return, there are only 20 hostages believed to still be alive.

In a statement, Hamas said the move “affirms its readiness to immediately begin intensive negotiations” and is part of “the steps being taken toward a ceasefire, the opening of border crossings, and the entry of aid and relief for our people in the Gaza Strip.”

HOW TRUMP AND RUBIO PUT AMERICA FIRST IN 100 DAYS

Last week, Trump ordered a plan for humanitarian aid to be delivered to Gaza in a way that attempts to keep the terror organization from stealing it. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee announced Trump’s aid plan on Friday, noting that private firms, not Israel, would be tasked with transporting and distributing the aid, but Israel would help with security.

“The Israelis are supportive of this program, they want it to happen, but they are not operating it,” Huckabee said. “That’s important because there are some entities that would not want to participate if they thought it was an IDF operation.”

Huckabee said that a top priority is implementing the plan in a way in which the terror organization does not profit as it has in the past from humanitarian aid.

“The next factor is that all of this be done in a way where Hamas cannot get its hands on it,” Huckabee said. “Nobody is interested in helping Hamas because Hamas has taken food that was intended to help very desperate citizens and stolen it from them, sold it on the black market, and then took the money to buy weaponry to murder more people.”

RUBIO ORDERS PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS OFFICE TO FOLD INTO ISRAEL’S JERUSALEM EMBASSY

Last week, Israel approved an expanded ground operation plan that includes plans to conquer and retain more areas of the Gaza Strip. The plan, named “Operation Gideon’s Chariots,” will go into effect if Hamas fails to make an agreement with Israel by the end of President Donald Trump’s visit to the Middle East this upcoming week, The Jerusalem Post reported.

Israel announced it will be sending a delegation to Qatar on Tuesday to negotiate a hostage deal.

Trump is set to visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates from May 13 to 16, the second foreign trip of his second term.