Edan Alexander’s release from Hamas captivity marks a bittersweet moment for the Jewish community, as his harrowing account sheds light on the ongoing hostage crisis in Gaza. Held for months, often bound and blindfolded, Edan endured unimaginable conditions, including a tunnel collapse and severe abuse during his early days in captivity. His diet fluctuated with the war’s rhythm—meager rice and beans during fighting, slightly better fare like lamb during ceasefires. Now recovering at Ichilov Hospital, covered in flea bites and weakened, Edan’s story is a stark reminder of the 58 hostages still held, with 20 confirmed alive and others, like soldier Tamir Nimrodi, whose fates remain uncertain.

All of Israel is nervous now–will they be able to get the rest of the hostages out? Not many of them are still among the living. As negotiations resume in Doha, Edan’s freedom must be the first step toward bringing all hostages home, both dead and alive, a moral imperative that resonates deeply within the Jewish ethos and beyond.