Hamas Releases Video of Israeli-American Hostage: ‘I Want to Go Home for Passover’

Hamas has released a video today featuring an Israeli-American hostage, Edan Alexander, who was abducted during the deadly attack on October 7, 2023. The Forum of Hostage Families, the primary organization advocating for the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza by Hamas, confirmed his identity. Edan Alexander is a soldier from an elite unit stationed near the Palestinian border at the time of the attack, which triggered the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. The duration and exact date of the video’s recording remain unclear. In the three-minute footage, provided by Hamas’ Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, Alexander is seen sitting in a small room, criticizing the Israeli government for not securing his release. Speaking under apparent duress, he expresses his desire to return home for Passover. As Israel celebrates the Jewish holiday marking the liberation of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt, Alexander’s family issued a statement emphasizing his continued captivity. They urged everyone celebrating Passover to remember that it is not a true celebration of freedom while hostages like Edan remain detained. This announcement comes shortly after Israel Defense Minister Benny Gantz announced the seizure of the significant Morag axis in southern Gaza and the expansion of the offensive into more Palestinian territories. Hamas warned that every day of delay in reaching a ceasefire agreement means more deaths among defenseless Palestinian civilians and uncertainty for the hostages’ future. Out of the 251 people abducted during the October 7 attack, 58 are still being held in Gaza, with 34 confirmed dead by the Israeli military. A truce brokered by the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar between January 19 and March 17 resulted in the return of 33 hostages, eight of whom were deceased, in exchange for the release of approximately 1,800 Palestinian prisoners by Israel.