Trump Meets Freed Hostage Edan Alexander on Oct. 7 Anniversary

Administration officials called for the immediate release of the 48 remaining hostages held by Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip.

Then-Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump poses for photos with the family of Edan Alexander at Ohel Chabad Lubavitch in New York City, on Oct. 7, 2024.PMichael M. Santiago/Getty Images

WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump invited Edan Alexander, the last American hostage freed from Hamas terrorists, to the Oval Office on Oct. 7, the second anniversary of the terror attacks in Israel.

Alexander, a dual citizen from New Jersey, was held captive for 584 days in the Gaza Strip before Trump helped secure his release on May 12.

He relocated to Israel in 2022 to enlist in the Israel Defense Forces after graduating from high school. The now 21-year-old was kidnapped outside of Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas launched its attack on southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages.

This is the second time he has visited the White House since his release.

The president also welcomed to the Oval Office the family of Omer Nuetra, a victim of the terror attack whose body is still being held hostage.

“President Trump is committed to bringing every hostage home,” the White House said in a statement posted on X after the meetings.

Trump has also repeatedly stated his desire to bring back the remains of those who were killed by the terrorists.

At the Kennedy Center, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and other Cabinet officials gathered with Israeli hostage survivors and families at a vigil marking the anniversary.

Keith Siegell told of when he, his wife, and their neighbors were taken captive by Hamas terrorists two years ago.

“The brutality we endured still haunts me,” he said. “The images of medieval torture, the echoes of suffering, they do not fade.”

Four of Siegel’s former cellmates are still held in Gaza, among dozens of others, he said.

Administration officials reiterated that securing their release is of paramount importance.

“One cannot heal while one is bleeding. It must end before even the remotest beginning of healing can begin,” Lutnick said during the event. “We need to have the hostages released so we can move forward.”

The event centered around the 48 hostages, some living and others deceased, still held by Hamas.

“We pray for their return and a durable peace that ensures not only Israel’s security, but generational peace and prosperity for the region,” Rubio posted on X on Oct. 7.

Vice President JD Vance honored those lost in the attack and emphasized the Trump administration’s commitment to long-term peace and prosperity for the Levant.

“We remember all of the innocent people brutally murdered by Hamas,” Vance posted on X. “And we continue to work towards President Trump’s plan to bring the remaining hostages home and build a lasting peace for all.”

Negotiations are underway to implement Trump’s 20-point peace plan, a strategy the president said could result in “unprecedented” change for the war-torn region.

“We are very close to making a deal on the Middle East that will bring peace to the Middle East,” Trump said during a bilateral discussion with Canadian Prime Minister Carney on Oct. 7.

“After all these years of millions and millions, tens of millions of people being killed, there’s a chance to bring peace to the Middle East.”