Edan Alexander, whose return marked the end of a protracted and painful wait for the last American hostage in Gaza, reportedly rebuffed a personal meeting with the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to Israeli media. Channel 12 described his physical and emotional condition as “low,” though no official source was cited.

Edan Alexander, a native of Tenafly, New Jersey, was taken from his military base in southern Israel during Hamas’s cross-border attack on October 7, 2023—an assault that ignited the war in Gaza.

After graduating from high school in 2022, Alexander moved to Israel and joined the military. He was abducted by Hamas militants after choosing to remain at his base over the Jewish Sabbath.

His release is the first since Israel shattered an eight-week ceasefire with Hamas in March, when it unleashed fierce strikes on Gaza that have killed hundreds.

The Israeli PM calls the release of the US-Israeli captive a “very emotional moment”.

“This was achieved thanks to our military pressure and the political pressure exerted by President Trump. This is a winning combination,” Netanyahu said in a video statement, hailing Alexander’s return as “a very emotional moment.”

“Edan Alexander has come home. We embrace him, and we embrace his family,” Netanyahu said.

The release came after four-party negotiations between Hamas, the US, Qatar, and Egypt. Both Qatar and Egypt praised the transfer as a “positive gesture” that could revive stalled talks over the release of the remaining 58 hostages still believed to be in Gaza.

Meanwhile, Hamas said it was freeing Alexander as a goodwill gesture to US President Donald Trump, who is visiting the region this week.

“Edan Alexander, American hostage thought dead, to be released by Hamas. Great news!” Trump wrote in capital letters on his social media platform earlier in the day.

With inputs from Agencies