During a visit to Ichilov Hospital, Steve Witkoff, President Trump's Special Envoy to the Middle East, gave Hamas captivity survivor Edan Alexander a deeply personal gift – the Star of David necklace that belonged to his late son, Andrew. Witkoff's son passed away at age 22, the same age as Edan. Witkoff shared that he had worn the necklace around his neck for over 25 years and now wanted Edan to wear it.
Later in the day, further details emerged regarding the harsh conditions Alexander endured during his captivity. According to the accounts, he was kept with his head covered by a sack and was subjected to severe beatings early on.
He described the moment he saw his grandmother and mother on television, and how he only learned about his impending release the day before it occurred. Even then, he did not believe it until the very last moment, when he realized he was truly on his way home.
Alexander's mother shared the emotional toll of her son's ordeal, saying, "Together with the light - the pain arrived. My heart broke when Edan began to talk about the unimaginable difficulty of whether he would survive the night. About the hunger, the lack of water, and the difficult sanitary conditions. But the most terrifying sound that Edan feared were the sounds of the war raging overhead. Ear-splitting explosions, the whistling of rockets, sounds of collapse, and shaking ground. Every moment could have been the last moment. While the world heard 'the bombing' – Edan heard hope drifting away."
She continued: "My Edan, my hero, you survived the hell – and returned from it. But what about the hostages who are still hearing those horrifying sounds? What about the terror they live in every moment? The hell you went through – is the hell they are still in. My heart started to beat again - but until everyone returns, it won't find peace."