Tenafly man whose son was taken hostage by Hamas attends President Trump’s address
Adi Alexander’s son Edan was taken hostage on Oct. 7, 2023. Alexander was the guest of Rep. Josh Gottheimer.
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A Tenafly man whose son was taken hostage by Hamas during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel attended President Donald Trump’s address Tuesday evening.
Adi Alexander's son, Edan, was kidnapped and has been held hostage by Hamas for 515 days. Rep. Josh Gottheimer invited Adi Alexander to Trump’s speech as his guest.
"We knew that our son is alive. He was seen in those tunnels by other released hostages,” Alexander says.
Edan is believed to be the last living American hostage still being held. He attended high school in Tenafly and enlisted in the IDF after graduation.
"We saw the video - the hostage video that Hamas released - and this is what kept us strong. And we kept fighting for our son,” Alexander says. "It was the first sign of life for us. The first sign after almost 422 days. He looked pale. But he looked OK…and the most important thing -- he was alive."
Alexander was on Capitol Hill with Gottheimer as Trump made his speech.
"Our hope is really to hear that, ‘We are fighting for you. We are working for this war to be over,’” Alexander says.
Phase 1 of the ceasefire has ended, and an extension is in limbo.
“Part of why I was in Qatar was to make sure all the parties stay at the table until we get it done and the other hostages home…We don’t leave anyone behind. We certainly don’t leave an American behind,” says Gottheimer.
"I wish it could be over really soon. At least the guns are quiet, and we have some sort of ceasefire. So that keeps us hopeful,” Alexander says.
This will be the first major speech the president has made since taking office for a second term.
