"Disgustingly Ungrateful": TV Host Yinon Magal Slams Edan Alexander’s Mother, and Israelis are Furious

The internet lit up with outrage last night (Tuesday) following comments by Israeli journalist and commentator Yinon Magal, who harshly criticized Yael Alexander, the mother of freed Hamas hostage Edan Alexander, accusing her of ingratitude for not thanking Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“A disgusting display of ingratitude and incivility by Edan Alexander’s mother, who fails to thank the Prime Minister,” Magal wrote. “Only in the toxic and deranged climate created by the left and the media could something like this happen.”

Magal’s remarks sparked an immediate backlash on social media, where many argued that it is inappropriate to judge or attack the families of hostages under any circumstances.

MK Naama Lazimi responded sharply, tweeting: “You were and remain vile. You've turned the families of hostages into enemies. And for what? Loyalty to a Prime Minister who funds Hamas? For a spot on the national poison channel? There will be no forgiveness for you. Eternal disgrace.”

Yael Alexander, whose son Edan was released after 584 days in Hamas captivity, had earlier spoken publicly about the ordeal: “Every day felt like an eternity. Each minute was a struggle between hope and despair. The moment I hugged Edan for the first time, time stopped. My heartbeat returned with his; my breath came back when I felt him in my arms.”

“Our family is whole again. But with the light came the pain. Our hearts broke hearing what Edan endured: the unimaginable suffering, fear, hunger, lack of water, the horrid conditions. But the most terrifying sound was the war being waged above his head. Every moment could have been his last.”

She continued: “While the world heard bombings, Edan heard hope slipping further away. My sweet Edan, you survived hell and came back from it. But what about the hostages who are still trapped, hearing those same terrifying sounds?”

Yael Alexander concluded with a call to action: “The majority of the public believes that bringing all the hostages home is a moral imperative. This is not about right or left. I urge the Prime Minister to listen: the people are united, above all. Now is the time to act together, out of love for humanity and a deep commitment to the values we were raised on. Edan’s return must be only the beginning. All the hostages must come home. The living to be rehabilitated, the fallen to be buried. We cannot rest until it happens.”