Washington — President Trump and first lady Melania Trump will meet with freed Hamas hostage Edan Alexander and his family in the Oval Office on Thursday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
Alexander, who was held hostage by the militant group Hamas in Gaza for 19 months, was released last month, and has since returned home to New Jersey. Now 21, the dual U.S.-Israeli citizen grew up in New Jersey and graduated from high school before moving to Israel. There, while serving in the Israeli military, he was abducted during the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023.
“The president and first lady have met with many released hostages from Gaza, and they greatly look forward to meeting Edan Alexander and his family in the Oval Office tomorrow,” Leavitt said.
Mr. Trump and Alexander spoke directly after he was freed last month. In video of the call released by the White House, the president told Alexander, “You’re an American, and we love you. We’re going to take good care of you. And your parents are incredible. I saw your mother. She was pushing me around a little bit — putting a lot of pressure on me.”
Alexander’s homecoming to Tenafly, New Jersey, was met with celebration, as hundreds stood in the rain and waited for hours as his motorcade passed.
The White House has not yet said when the meeting will take place on Thursday.
Mr. Trump is expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu at the White House next week, as the U.S. president says Israel has agreed to the terms of a two-month ceasefire in Gaza.
contributed to this report.
