TENAFLY, N.J. — A joyful event took place in downtown Tenafly, New Jersey, to celebrate the return of Edan Alexander, an American-Israeli hostage who was recently released.
Alexander, now 21, moved to Israel at the age of 18 and joined the IDF.
He was 19 years old and actively serving in the Israeli military when he was captured during Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack.
He was finally freed May 12 after 584 days in captivity.
Alexander flew back on an American Repatriation flight carrying diplomats and their family members from Israel.
On Thursday afternoon, the streets of Tenafly quickly filled with thousands friends and supporters in a show of support and unity.
American and Israeli flags were proudly displayed along the route with welcome home signs carried by supporters.
“We are thrilled to welcome him back home. His absence was deeply felt in our community, and now that he’s back, it’s a moment of great joy for all of us,” expressed a resident of Tenafly.
Alexander was all smiles riding in the passenger seat and giving high-fives to several people on the parade route.
“Seeing him return after such a long ordeal was surreal. He appears well, and witnessing the entire town come together to show support is heartwarming,” shared another Tenafly resident.
The entire route was covered with supporters who were praying for Alexander and his family while he was a captive for 584 days.
Now, the hope is Alexander will have time to get used to being back among the people he grew up with and the community that prayed for his safe return.
Alexander was the last living American citizen still believed to be held by Hamas.
“We always believed that this moment will come, always,” his father, Adi Alexander, told ABC News in an exclusive interview. “Hope is mandatory. It finally happened.”
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