Father seeks Trump's help for son's release from Hamas

Adi Alexander is the father of Edan Alexander, the last known American hostage held by Hamas. He is optimistic that the US, particularly under former President Donald Trump, can help secure his son's release. While many families of hostages are upset with the Israeli government, Adi is focused only on bringing Edan home. Recently, Hamas suggested it would release Edan along with the bodies of four other hostages if Israel agreed to renew a ceasefire. However, renewed fighting has complicated these talks. Israel has launched retaliation strikes in Gaza, breaking the fragile truce and causing many casualties. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised to continue offensive actions until all hostages are freed, despite facing protests and pressure from more hardline allies. Adi acknowledges Netanyahu's efforts but prefers to rely on US intervention. He believes that the Trump administration's involvement is crucial. He urged US officials to keep negotiating, recalling how Trump had successfully facilitated previous hostage releases. For the first time, the US has engaged directly with Hamas in discussions about hostages since the group was designated a terrorist organization in 1997. Adam Boehler, from Trump’s administration, is leading these separate negotiations. However, Adi is uncertain about Hamas’s promise to release Edan since it was unexpected and not part of the main discussions. Since Edan’s capture, updates about him have been limited. A video released by Hamas last November showed him pleading for help, providing hope that he was still alive. Freed hostages have reported he is not doing well and has lost a lot of weight. Despite the ongoing violence, Adi believes it may eventually lead both sides to return to negotiations. He sees potential in the chaos created by the current conflict, stating that opportunities can arise from it. His primary goal remains to get back to negotiations to free the hostages.