RELEASE: Gottheimer Urges President Trump to Prioritize Freeing Edan Alexander Ahead of Middle East Trip

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, May 11, 2025, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) helped lead a bipartisan letter to President Donald Trump ahead of his upcoming trip to the Middle East, urging him to take immediate action to secure the release of the five remaining American hostages taken by Hamas on October 7 — including 21-year-old Edan Alexander, a North Jersey native.

On October 7, the deadliest attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust, Hamas terrorists brutally murdered, raped, burned alive, decapitated, and kidnapped more than a thousand innocent babies, children, women, men, and elderly. This includes the murder of more than 40 Americans and the capture of 12 American hostages.

President Trump entered office pledging to bring the remaining American hostages home. Yet months after the last hostage exchange, there has been no new, meaningful action or progress from his Administration.

“As months have passed since the most recent exchange, we must keep the five remaining Americans and additional 54 hostages top of mind. The five American hostages include Edan Alexander, Omer Neutra, Itay Chen, Gadi Haggai, and Judi Weinstein Haggai. Only Edan is believed to be alive while Omer, Itay, Gadi, and Judi were either murdered on October 7th or in captivity,” the Members wrote in a letter to President Trump.

The members continued, “Our government’s most solemn responsibility is to keep Americans safe. With that responsibility in mind, we urge you to use all diplomatic tools at your disposal, in concert with our regional allies and partners, to ensure Edan’s release and the release of the remains of the deceased American hostages as soon as possible. Every day in captivity adds to the nightmare for the hostages and their families. We must bring them home now.”

Full text of the letter sent to President Trump can be found here and below:

Dear President Trump,

We write today to urge your Administration to prioritize the release of the five Americans who have been held hostage in Gaza for 580 days since the horrific October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks on Israel. Securing the release of all five American hostages is critical as every additional moment in captivity is a matter of life or death. We urge you to avail yourself of all available options and diplomatic channels to achieve a deal for their release.

On October 7th, Hamas terrorists and other Palestinian terrorist groups launched a coordinated attack on Israeli kibbutzim, villages, and social gatherings, including the Nova Music Festival. This was the single deadliest attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust, killing 1,200 including more than 40 Americans. Further, the terrorist perpetrators of the attacks kidnapped more than 250 hostages, twelve of whom were American.

After the election this past November and in the weeks immediately preceding your inauguration, you worked with the outgoing Biden Administration to guide parties to a hostage- prisoner exchange alongside a temporary ceasefire. These efforts allowed for the release of 33 hostages, including Americans Sagui Dekel-Chen and Keith Siegel.

Now, as months have passed since the most recent exchange, we must keep the five remaining Americans and additional 54 hostages top of mind. The five American hostages include Edan Alexander, Omer Neutra, Itay Chen, Gadi Haggai, and Judi Weinstein Haggai. Only Edan is believed to be alive while Omer, Itay, Gadi, and Judi were either murdered on October 7th or in captivity.

Our government’s most solemn responsibility is to keep Americans safe. With that responsibility in mind, we urge you to use all diplomatic tools at your disposal, in concert with our regional allies and partners, to ensure Edan’s release and the release of the remains of the deceased American hostages as soon as possible. Every day in captivity adds to the nightmare for the hostages and their families. We must bring them home now.

Sincerely,

MEMBERS OF CONGRESS

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