Israeli-American soldier Edan Alexander has been released after 19 months in captivity by Hamas and reunited with his family at an Israeli military base, marking a moment of emotional relief and geopolitical significance.

Alexander, 21, who was born in Tel Aviv and raised in New Jersey, was captured during Hamas’s assault on October 7, 2023, while serving with an elite Israeli infantry unit near the Gaza border. The attack killed 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages being taken.

His release is the first by Hamas since Israel resumed its Gaza military campaign in March following the breakdown of a two-month ceasefire. On Monday, Israeli forces temporarily halted operations to allow the Red Cross to receive Alexander from Hamas fighters in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, before transferring him to Israeli custody.

Footage broadcast across Israeli media showed Alexander embracing his parents and siblings upon his return. His mother, Yael Alexander, told him by phone, “You are strong. You are protected. You are home.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the reunion as “deeply moving,” crediting both sustained military pressure and diplomatic efforts by U.S. President Donald Trump, who is scheduled to visit the region on Tuesday.

President Trump congratulated Alexander’s family and called the release “a victory for American diplomacy and Israeli determination.”

Hamas characterized the release as a goodwill gesture, aimed at reviving stalled ceasefire negotiations and allowing the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza. The group has stated that no further hostage releases will occur without a broader agreement to end the war—terms Israel has so far rejected.

Meanwhile, aid organizations have criticized Israel’s blockade on Gaza, which has restricted food and medical supplies for 70 days, describing the policy as a form of collective punishment.

Netanyahu warned that without a truce agreement, Israel is prepared to escalate its offensive in Gaza following Trump’s regional visit. Talks are scheduled to resume Tuesday in Qatar, with international mediators hoping that Alexander’s release may offer a pathway to renewed negotiations.

Alexander is believed to have been the last surviving U.S. citizen held in Gaza. Of the 58 hostages still in captivity, up to 23 are thought to be alive, including five Americans.

According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, 52,829 Palestinians have been killed during the Israeli offensive, including 2,720 since mid-March.