Family of US captive, Edan Alexander, makes Passover plea after Hamas releases latest propaganda video

The sadistic merchandise of a Hamas propaganda video connected Saturday shows signs of life for nan past surviving US hostage, Edan Alexander — but besides comes astatine nan opening of Passover, mocking nan freedom-themed Jewish holiday.

Alexander, nan Israeli-American solider from New Jersey, states successful nan three-minute-long video that he’s been held successful captivity for 551 days, indicating it was filmed recently.

Alexander, 21, was taken hostage connected Oct. 7, 2023 during Hamas’ onslaught connected Israel. 

“When you beryllium down to people Passover, retrieve that this is not a vacation of state arsenic agelong arsenic Edan and nan different 58 hostages are not home,” Alexander’s family said successful a connection released by nan Hostages and Missing Families Forum, referencing nan beatified time commemorating nan Israelites liberation from slavery successful Egypt.

The family authorized nan publication of a still image of Alexander, but asked Israeli media not to stock nan latest video.

Since nan warfare began, Hamas has routinely released propaganda videos of Israeli hostages.

The merchandise of nan video besides comes arsenic IDF troops proceed to exert expanding power successful Gaza. 

The subject entered nan strategical metropolis of Rafah, a past remaining Hamas stronghold, from either broadside of nan Morag Corridor, cutting nan hub disconnected from neighboring Khan Younis.

The Israeli forces converged overnight, according to reports, successfully capturing nan full corridor and surrounding nan city, which is bordered by Egypt to nan south.

“During nan past week and a half successful which IDF forces person been maneuvering successful nan area, dozens of terrorists person been eliminated, underground hideouts and Hamas panic infrastructures person been destroyed, and nan Rafah siege has been completed,” nan subject said successful a statement Saturday.

The IDF is now wrong parts of Rafah that it had not antecedently been capable to enter, nan subject said, and plans to yet power nan region stretching from Egypt to nan outskirts of Khan Younis arsenic it looks to escalate unit connected Hamas successful hopes of securing nan merchandise of nan remaining 59 hostages. Only 24 of nan hostages are believed to still beryllium alive.

Israel will intensify and grow its violative into different parts of Gaza, including successful nan north, Defense Minister Israel Katz said successful a connection Saturday.

The violative aimed to “crush and cleanable nan area of terrorists and violent infrastructure” while expanding Israeli information zones, Katz added.

“I telephone connected nan residents of Gaza to enactment now to region Hamas and return each nan hostages,” he said.

The subject discovered a miles-long Hamas passageway nether a schoolhouse successful Rafah, pinch an entranceway located successful nan playground of a daycare, it announced connected Friday.

Members of nan specialized engineering portion Yahalom recovered that nan passageway – booby-trapped pinch explosives – led to a “central axis” for Hamas.

At slightest 11 terrorists who participated successful nan Oct. 7 onslaught person been killed since nan IDF ordered civilian evacuations and began its incursion into Gaza connected April 2, according to nan military.

The subject buffer area has expanded astir 2 miles each astir nan border of Gaza since Israel ended nan cease-fire connected March 18, pinch Rafah now widening nan southernmost border. The subject controls good complete 50% of nan enclave.

Earlier this week, President Trump told reporters, “We’re getting adjacent to getting [the hostages] back.”

“We’re dealing pinch Israel, we’re dealing pinch Hamas, and it’s a nasty group,” he said during a furniture gathering Thursday.

Trump’s envoy to nan Middle East, Steve Witkoff, besides said, “a very superior woody is taking shape,” according to Israeli news reports.

“It’s a matter of days,” Witkoff added.

And Egyptian mediators reportedly met pinch Hamas to proceed cease-fire negotiations connected Saturday and had exchanged drafts of a woody pinch Israel a time earlier.