Edan Alexander, freed from Hamas captivity after 584 days, feted on return home to New Jersey

JTA – Hundreds of people lined the streets of Tenafly, New Jersey, on 19 June to welcome home native son Edan Alexander, who survived 584 days of captivity in Gaza before being freed in May.

Alexander graduated from Tenafly High School before enlisting in the Israeli army, and was serving on a base on 7 October 2023 when Hamas attacked Israel and took him and 250 others hostage. The last remaining living American citizen in captivity, he was freed in a one-off deal negotiated by the Trump administration on 12 May.

That day, schools in Tenafly excused students from classes as thousands of people gathered in the New York City’s suburb’s main square to cheer on Alexander’s release in real time. Last Thursday, locals repeated the celebration as Alexander returned to the town where his Israeli parents and siblings still live. Tenafly is home to a substantial Israeli expatriate community.

Hundreds of people waving Israeli and American flags cheered along the route taken by Alexander’s black SUV. Some held a banner that thanked United States President Donald Trump. A large billboard that had called attention to his captivity was updated to read, “Welcome home Edan!” and local police officers saluted the motorcade. Alexander, wearing black sunglasses, beamed and at times greeted people he passed.

On his Instagram account, Alexander posted a picture of himself in the car, his arm outstretched, accompanied by the Kanye West song, Homecoming.

There remain 53 hostages in Gaza, of whom 20 are thought to remain alive. Their plight, a central cause for Jews around the world since the 7 October attack, has drawn less attention over the last week since Israel attacked Iran’s nuclear programme, triggering a wave of ballistic missile attacks on Israel.