Watch emotional: Edan Alexander’s heartwarming first call with his Mother after 584 days in captivity

On May 12, 2025, Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander, 21, returned to Israel after enduring 584 days of brutal captivity under Hamas, a moment marked by an emotional phone call with his mother, Yael Alexander, that captured the nation’s heart. Kidnapped on October 7, 2023, while serving in an elite IDF infantry unit near the Gaza border, Alexander was released by Hamas and handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. Escorted by an elite IDF unit through a secure corridor, he arrived at an “initial reception point” at the Re’im military base in southern Israel at 20:16 IDT, where he is undergoing initial medical assessments before reuniting with his family, who traveled from New Jersey.

The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office shared a poignant video of Yael’s first conversation with her son since his abduction, a moment of raw emotion after 19 months of silence and suffering. Overwhelmed, Yael exclaimed, “oh my God, Edan!” as she took the phone, adding, “They just released a photo of you, you look unbelievable, wow. You look beautiful.” Her words to Edan, shared by the National Public Diplomacy Directorate, were filled with love and relief: “You are strong, you are protected, you are home. We’ll meet soon. I love you.” She concluded, “I love you and I'm going to see you very soon,” encapsulating the joy of a mother reconnecting with her son after fearing for his life.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog, watching the release from Germany alongside Chancellor Friedrich Merz during a visit marking 60 years of Israel-Germany diplomatic ties, described the moment as Edan emerging “from darkness into light.” IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir expressed the military’s elation, stating, “We pray and hope for 58 more moments like this,” referring to the 58 hostages still held in Gaza, of whom up to 24 are believed alive. An IDF statement read, “We are emotional and grateful for the return of Edan, an IDF soldier, home,” but vowed, “That said, we do not forget our commitment to bring back the 58 hostages still held by Hamas, they remain constantly in our thoughts. We will continue to use all means at our disposal to bring them home.” Alexander’s family, soon to be airlifted with him to Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv, awaits a long-awaited embrace, while Israel remains steadfast in its mission to free all captives.