In Tel Aviv, Israel, Yael Alexander has been observing the release of hostages from Gaza with a blend of happiness, jealousy, and concern. Her son, Edan, an American-Israeli held hostage for over 500 days, remains absent from the list of those set for release.
With the future of the delicate ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas hanging in the balance, families of hostages still in Gaza are wrestling with the hope that their loved ones will soon come home. “This is a critical time,” stated Alexander, as she thinks about her 19-year-old son who was a soldier when Hamas-led militants abducted him.
“I know my son is likely in tunnels, deprived of sunlight, and breathing the thin underground air,” Alexander remarked. “It’s incredibly difficult to even ponder over it.”
The temporary ceasefire has prevented further combat in the 15-month conflict in Gaza, but its future past this week is uncertain. A second negotiation phase, where Hamas should release all remaining living hostages taken on October 7, 2023, in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners, permanent ceasefire, and complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, has yet to begin.
Despite the agreements, these negotiations have not commenced, leaving families of the hostages distressed about the safety of their loved ones and eager for progress.
Although Edan, a soldier, wasn’t anticipated to be released first as Hamas has focused on freeing 33 hostages, primarily involving women and older or ill men, hope lingered for his name to appear on those lists. “Not seeing his name each time is a gut-wrenching blow,” Yael Alexander confessed, while rejoicing for other families also fuels her dream of embracing her son again.
There is a glimmer of hope from the Trump administration. President Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, highlighted a concerted effort to bring Edan home. “It’s one of President Trump’s key objectives to get all Americans home, including Edan,” Witkoff stated.
Hearing Edan’s name reassures Alexander. “It means he’s not forgotten, and they are working on it,” she observed. With frustration from previous negotiations, she credits the Trump administration for applying pressure that facilitated a ceasefire ahead of President Trump’s inauguration. But the fragile truce has encountered hurdles, recently delayed by Israel’s reaction to what they labeled “humiliating” hostage returns.
There remain 27 hostages believed to be alive, eligible for release in the upcoming ceasefire discussions, alongside the remains of those killed in the October 7 attack or while in captivity. Additionally, the body of an Israeli soldier from 2014 resides in Gaza. The hostages’ families have increasingly pressured the Israeli government to advance talks, as Hamas’s latest moves have heightened their desperation. A disturbing video surfaced showing two hostages, Guy Gilboa-Dalal and Evyatar David, witnessing other hostages’ release ceremonies, leaving families upset and urging for immediate actions.
In November, a video of Edan appeared during Thanksgiving, bringing a bittersweet relief to Yael Alexander that her son was alive. Born in Tenafly, New Jersey, Edan moved to Israel in 2022 after high school for military service. Since his abduction, his family divides time between Israel, Washington, D.C., and New Jersey, where they tirelessly advocate for his return.
At his grandparents’ Tel Aviv apartment, the family placed a Torah scroll in a room Edan often used, and Yael visits daily to pray for his strength. Though tired of unproductive talks, Yael longs for tangible action. Pointing to a sticker on her jacket marked with the number of days Edan’s captivity has endured, she emphasizes, “There’s more than two dozen young men, including my son, waiting to be released—they’re alive and we must ensure their return soon.”
Echoing her plea, she concludes, emotionally yearning for the future message that will summon her to Israel, announcing Edan’s release.
