Edan Alexander's parents who released Israel's hostages share the joy of 584 days of partying

Tel Aviv – United States – Israel Edan Alexander During the Hamas operation in the terrorist attack on October 7, 2023, he was one of the first Israeli prisoners to enter Gaza. He was reunited with his family a week ago, facilitated by the Trump administration and led by the White House’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.

Alexander and his family saved the Trump team and in a sit-down interview with CBS News, the young soldier’s parents told Debora Patta, a senior foreign correspondent, about the excellent moments that Edan will be released and the moments they cherish since then.

Edan Alexander spent 584 days in Hamas captivity. After many wrong starts and false hopes for his release, his father missed eight times when the call ended up coming from the highest level of the U.S. government.

“So, after Mother's Day brunch, we were all at home in Jersey,” his mother, Yell recalls.

“I'm blowing some leaves,” his father Adid said. When he put down the leaf blower, he realized that he “missed eight calls from Steve Witkoff”.

When Adidi finally got in touch with the senior White House envoy, “He told us in 10 minutes that Hamas will announce your son’s release tomorrow.”

“I thank him. Keep on;'Thank you Steve! Thank you very much.”'” Yael recalled. “It's the happiest Mother's Day ever!” ”

“We were like yelling wildly at the kids,” she said. As Yael, Adi and their two children watched TV and announced that Edan would be released the next day, just as Witkoff promised. “And we're like, OK, we need to pack! We need to… go to Israel!”

Eventually, the party they dreamt about has been taking shape for a year and a half.

Adid booked the flight immediately. Yael has booked a copy later that day to go to Israel with his family immediately after marking Mother's Day.

Neither of my parents took a lot of rest on the flight to Israel.

“I can't fall asleep,” Yell told CBS News. “Like, you're alert…I can't even sit, you know? I was like full adrenaline, like, ready, ready to be there, let Edan come back, you know?”

After they landed, they were driven to the Israeli military base, and after being handed over by Hamas, Yidan arrived soon.

“I gave him the biggest hug,” his mother said. “When I came to him, I went all out! We almost fell down because he was weak and he was so excited, like he was standing, like trembling, you know, because, wow, it was incredible – I was screaming, I screamed, I thought, you know, hugged him. wow- wow.”

Parents said Aidan was still weak, but the doctor cleared him from the place where he was released from the hospital. During the October 7 terrorist attack, his parents said: “No one cared for those terrorist attacks in these tunnels, and he was still receiving medical care.

Even restoring freedom is a painful ordeal.

“The days of release were a very busy day for him,” Father Adi told CBS News. “It took forever. They walked around and climbed down, which was a very difficult day for him. He didn't sleep all night before that because he was excited, he didn't sleep.

Edan has since given them some details about his imprisonment, but they have not pushed him.

“He talked a lot, but he didn't rush. We weren't asking. If you want to say something, you said, we're not trying.” “He's going through a lot.”

“He was so happy to be home, just sitting with Mika and Roy [his siblings] Just to hang out, watch TV with us yesterday,” his parents said.

During his long imprisonment, Edan saw his parents in the news, begging for his release.

“I think he saw us, saw us running, fighting and knocking on the door, made him hopeful,” his father said. “He was with other hostages, not alone, made him hopeful. He was just a strong child, mentally and physically, he was a strong child.”

Hamas took many of its hostages in a tunnel under the Gaza Strip, including Alexander, who had never seen the sunlight at all.

“I’m so pale,” his mother recalled. “I look like a vampire!”

Israel Temporarily It is The Gaza WarHamas – Operations Department Health Department said more than 53,000 people have been killed since the start of the battle, including more than 500 in the last week alone.

Hostage Family – 58 of them It is believed to be still held in Gazaincluding about 20 ideas about still alive, Israeli officials took to the streets regularly, condemning the renewed offensive as their loved ones face greater risks.

“Idan told us, so when they heard the bombing, it was very, very scary,” Adid said. “At some point, one of the tunnels collapsed.”

“He sometimes told us that he was afraid to sleep. Because maybe they would bomb him in a particular place inside,” the father added. “It's scary.”

Now, as a family, their ideas are still related to other hostages.

“We are still continuing to speak for all the 58 hostages that still exist,” Yael told CBS News. “Edan told me about the hostages [who were] You know, at any time I was imprisoned, I would call their mom and dad and I was in the hospital to tell them-I've done it-I told them everything Edan told me. You know, let them kind of hope that their story will end soon, too, and end well. ”

She knows better than most hope to provide.

“It's very important, you know. For me, every hostage released, like, 'Oh my goodness, maybe he saw Aidan. Maybe he could tell me something, I don't care if it's not two days, you know he's from a year ago.

Last week, at least one of the previously posted hostages visited Edan at the hospital. United States-Israel dual nation, Dekel-chen, was released after 498 days of imprisonment, said in a statement released on Monday at the Hostage Family Forum that he and Edan were imprisoned for some time together.

“Our fate is intertwined in the most complex situations one can imagine,” Dekel-Chen said in the statement. “It's important for me to come and welcome Aidan after he comes back. I know what he's going through and what he's still in front of him. I'm so happy for him and his family. I hope soon I'll be able to embrace all the other hostages who stay behind.”

“It's incredible to see these two people reunited in freedom,” said Yael Alexander. “It's a miracle. It's a victory – seeing the hostages together. ”

When asked what their families want to know now, despite rumors that despite intensified Israeli military operations, rumors have once again spinned potential advances in the ceasefire negotiations.

“Urgent,” he told CBS News. “Just urgent. Our son, he's lucky to go out… Listen, you can't treat pain with more pain. This war needs to end.”

However, there is no purpose at this time. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated on Monday that Israel intends to continue its offensive in Gaza to fully control the Palestinian territory.

“We thank Steve [Witkoff]for President Trump and Adam Boehler, “the comforting father said. But the work is not done yet. We have more work to do.”

“Now they are going home. Everyone.” “It's not about bringing everyone home.”

Agnes Reau and

Leigh Kiniry

Contributed to this report.