"Chained in a cage and tortured," Edan Alexander reveals shocking testimony from Gaza captivity

Earlier today, Israeli-American soldier Staff Sgt. Edan Alexander, 21, was freed after 584 days of unimaginable suffering in Hamas captivity, revealing a chilling account of torture, starvation, and confinement in Gaza’s tunnels. Captured on October 7, 2023, while serving in an elite IDF infantry unit near the Gaza border, Alexander endured 19 months of hell, marked by brutal interrogations, malnutrition, and dehumanizing conditions. His release, secured through direct U.S.-Hamas negotiations, brought relief to his family but underscored the ongoing plight of 58 hostages still held in Gaza, up to 24 of whom are believed alive.

According to Alexander’s initial testimony, reported by Kan 11, he was subjected to weeks of relentless interrogations aimed at extracting intelligence, during which he endured severe torture. He was confined in a cage in a Hamas-controlled tunnel in southern Gaza, alongside other hostages, including Matan Zangauker, deprived of daylight and chained hand and foot for extended periods. The prolonged restraint left him so weakened that he struggled to walk upon release, requiring Red Cross personnel to assist him into a vehicle. Alexander suffered severe malnutrition for months, with food shortages so acute that he only began receiving slightly more sustenance in recent months. In the weeks before his release, his captors mockingly called him “the American,” a nod to his dual U.S.-Israeli citizenship.

The conditions Alexander described align with broader reports of hostage treatment. A Hostages and Missing Families Forum medical report noted that captives face “severe malnutrition and untreated injuries,” with many held in cages and tunnels, enduring “inhumane physical and psychological torture.” Alexander’s grandmother, Varda Ben Baruch, reflected emotionally, saying, “Today is the second Passover, for those who could not celebrate Passover. Edan is celebrating Passover today, he is a free man.” His father, Adi, added, “I saw the picture. He looks handsome, pale, and thin. That’s my boy. The first thing I will do is hug him.”

Alexander’s release followed his transfer from Hamas to the Red Cross in Khan Younis, then to IDF forces at the Kissufim crossing. He arrived at the Re’im military base for initial medical assessments before an emotional reunion with his family, who were airlifted with him to Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv. The U.S. negotiations, led by envoy Steve Witkoff, were hailed as a diplomatic breakthrough, though Israel attributed the release to relentless IDF pressure. As Alexander begins his recovery, his testimony serves as a stark reminder of the horrors faced by those still in captivity, fueling calls for urgent action to secure their freedom.