Tenafly Community Rallies for Captured Resident
Residents of Tenafly, New Jersey, are rallying to support Edan Alexander following his capture. The community action underscores strong local ties, though details surrounding the capture were not specified.
- Edan Alexander, a 2021 graduate of Tenafly High School, was serving as a soldier in the Israeli military's Golani Brigade when he was captured. He was 19 years old at the time of his abduction from his military base near the Gaza border during the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. - Alexander was held captive for 584 days and was the last known living American hostage in Gaza. His release on May 12, 2025, came after a deal was negotiated directly between the United States and Hamas. - Hundreds of Tenafly residents, including high school students who were reportedly released from class, gathered in the town's Huyler Park to celebrate his release. They watched a live Israeli news broadcast of the event on a large screen set up in the park. - During his captivity, Alexander reportedly acted as an English-language interpreter between other hostages and their captors. Other released hostages also said he advocated for them, particularly for captive Thai workers. - After his release, Alexander's family stated he had been tortured, starved, and kept in a cage while held captive. Reports indicated he was moved between various locations, including underground tunnels, mosques, and schools, and had lost a significant amount of weight. - The rally in Tenafly was a celebration of his release, where community members waved Israeli flags and sang. The event was organized quickly via email and WhatsApp after Hamas announced he would be freed.
