TEL AVIV (AP) — Not like many households who blame Israel’s government for not getting their family members launched from captivity in Gaza, Adi Alexander is hesitant to level fingers. Pragmatic and measured, the daddy of the final dwelling American being held hostage by Hamas simply desires his son to return residence.
“I do not need to get into who got here first, the egg or the rooster,” Alexander advised The Related Press on Friday from his New Jersey residence. Nonetheless, with the once-promising ceasefire giving option to renewed combating between Israel and Hamas, he wonders whether or not Israel can safe his son’s freedom and is extra hopeful concerning the U.S.’s probabilities to do it.
Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old Israeli-American soldier who grew up within the U.S., is one among 59 hostages nonetheless in Gaza, greater than half of whom are believed to be useless. Final week, Hamas stated it will launch Edan and the our bodies of 4 different hostages if Israel recommitted to the stalled ceasefire settlement.
Days later, although, Israel launched rockets throughout Gaza, breaking the two-month-old deal and killing tons of of Palestinians. The hostilities present no indicators of abating, with Israel vowing Friday to advance deeper into Gaza till Hamas releases the remaining hostages.
The return to combating has infected the controversy in Israel over the destiny of these held captive. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has come beneath mounting home strain, with mass protests over his dealing with of the hostage disaster. However he additionally faces calls for from his hard-line allies to not settle for any deal that falls in need of Hamas’ destruction.
A father’s hope
Adi Alexander stated he thinks Netanyahu desires to deliver all people residence, however on his personal phrases. He questions Netanyahu’s plans whereas he believes U.S. President Donald Trump’s message is obvious: He is targeted on bringing the hostages residence. Alexander stated he is relying on the U.S. to bridge the big hole between Israel and Hamas. His message to Trump about his administration’s efforts to free his son and the others: “Simply maintain this job going.”
Many households of the hostages say Trump has accomplished extra for them than Netanyahu, crediting the president with the ceasefire. In December, earlier than taking workplace, Trump demanded the hostages’ speedy launch, saying in the event that they weren’t freed earlier than he was sworn in for his second time period there can be “hell to pay.”
Part one of many deal started weeks later, and noticed the release of 25 Israeli hostages and the our bodies of eight others in change for almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. The ceasefire was supposed to stay in place so long as talks on the second section continued, however Netanyahu balked at coming into substantive negotiations.
As a substitute, he tried to force Hamas to accept a new ceasefire plan put forth by U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff. That plan would have required Hamas to launch half its remaining hostages — the militant group’s fundamental bargaining chip — in change for a ceasefire extension and a promise to barter a long-lasting truce.
Hamas has stated it would solely launch the remaining hostages in change for a long-lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, as known as for within the unique ceasefire settlement mediated by america, Egypt and Qatar.
The US engages immediately with Hamas
As a soldier, Edan would have been launched through the deal’s second section. However Hamas introduced this month that it will launch Edan after the White Home stated it had engaged in “ongoing talks and discussions” with the group — separate from the primary negotiations. It’s the first recognized direct engagement between Hamas and the U.S. because the State Division designated it a overseas terrorist group in 1997.
Adi Alexander stated Adam Boehler, who’s helping spearhead the Trump administration’s efforts to free the hostages, led these separate talks as a result of section two was stalled. However he stated he didn’t imagine Hamas’ declare that it will launch his son as a result of it got here out of left area and wasn’t being thought-about as a part of the discussions between the group and Boehler.
The anxious father stated he speaks with Witkoff and Boehler nearly every day and understands the negotiations are ongoing regardless of the resumption of combating.
A local of Tenafly, a New Jersey suburb of New York Metropolis, Edan moved to Israel in 2022 after highschool and enlisted within the navy. He was kidnapped from his base through the Oct. 7, 2023, assault that ignited the warfare, when Hamas killed about 1,200 folks in Israel and took 251 others hostage.
The grueling wait
Since Edan’s abduction, there’s been little information about him.
Hamas launched a video of him over Thanksgiving weekend in November. His household stated it was tough to observe as he cried and pleaded for assist, nevertheless it was a reduction to see he was alive.
Freed hostages have given the household extra information, in line with his father. Some stated Edan had misplaced numerous weight. Others stated he’d been an advocate for fellow hostages, standing up for kidnapped Thai workers and telling their captors that the employees weren’t Israeli and needs to be freed.
Though he is aware of the resumption of combating means it would take extra time to get his son again, Adi Alexander stated he thinks either side had grew to become too comfy with the ceasefire and that this was one motive section two by no means started. He desires the warfare to finish, and hopes the combating might be restricted and focused and push everybody again to the desk.
“Anyone, I believe needed to shake this tree to create chaos, and chaos creates alternatives,” he stated. “The one goal is to get again to the bargaining desk to get these folks out.”
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