U.S. father begs Trump to save son held hostage by Hamas for 562 days

Adi Alexander, the father of IDF soldier and U.S. citizen Edan Alexander, held hostage by Hamas for 562 days, has made a heartfelt public appeal, urging the U.S. government to take a more active and direct role in negotiations for the release of the remaining hostages. Speaking to Reuters, Alexander stressed the urgency of the situation and called on the Trump administration to initiate direct dialogue with Hamas, saying current negotiations have stalled and progress has regressed to where it was nearly a year ago.

“We need to go back to talking to them directly and see what we can do about my son, the four dead U.S. hostages, and everyone else,” Alexander said. Expressing deep frustration, he added, “It seems that the negotiations are stuck, everything is stuck, and we’ve taken a step backwards. It’s very worrying.”

The plea follows the release of a disturbing Hamas video about a week ago, which provided the first visual sign of life from Edan since his abduction on October 7. Adi described the video as “terrible” and “very scary,” leaving a harsh emotional impact on the family. Despite the fear and uncertainty, Alexander delivered a powerful message directly to his son: “Just believe. You know, no one has forgotten you. Certainly not your parents, and everyone at the highest level in the U.S. and Israel are fighting for your release.”

The renewed spotlight on Edan Alexander comes amid reports of renewed American interest in his case. According to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, the Qatari paper, the U.S. envoy team led by Steve Witkoff recently contacted Egyptian security officials for updates on Edan’s condition. This diplomatic movement followed a Hamas statement claiming that contact with the cell holding Edan had been lost due to ongoing combat in Gaza.

With 59 hostages, both living and deceased, still held by Hamas, the Alexander family’s appeal underscores the emotional toll on the families and the pressing need for international intervention.