Father of captive man says deaths of 6 Israeli hostages “were avoidable”

The father of an Israeli American believed to be held captive by Hamas in Gaza expressed his sorrow over the recent deaths of six hostages, stating that “this never had to happen.” On Saturday, the Israeli military reported recovering the bodies in a tunnel located beneath Rafah, a city in southern Gaza.

Adi Alexander’s son, Edan, is just 20 years old and was taken by Hamas during the violent attack on October 7. Adi recalled being in a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a visit to Washington, D.C., this past July.

In an appearance on “CBS Mornings,” Adi revealed that he raised the issue of a cease-fire and a potential hostage release agreement with Netanyahu at that meeting.

“He was committed to the deal, so now we are a month later with six hostages dead — that never had to happen. He is prolonging the war for short political reasons,” Adi lamented. “This is unacceptable.”

Following news of the hostage deaths, protests erupted in the streets of Israel. Members of the country’s largest labor union have gone on strike, demanding a cease-fire and the safe return of all remaining hostages.

Adi and other relatives of hostages have been actively engaging with U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, discussing efforts to broker a deal for their loved ones. Adi mentioned being part of a call with Sullivan on Sunday, where he learned that a new proposal was being formulated to be presented to both Hamas and Israeli officials.

He described the urgency of this proposal as “now or never.” Adi expressed hope that it would be taken seriously, saying, “I hope they will take it seriously and say, ‘Yes, let’s go.'”

For Adi and his wife Yael, the news of the hostages’ deaths is particularly devastating. Yael shared a poignant memory of Rachel Goldberg-Polin, mother of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a hostage who was killed. Rachel had emphasized to families of hostages that “hope is mandatory” over the past eleven months. Now, however, Yael finds it difficult to articulate their feelings.

“I don’t want to say hopeless, but it was a tough moment for all of us,” she stated during her appearance on “CBS Mornings.”

Adi and Yael are hopeful for their son, who is known to be “a tough kid.” Edan, a volunteer in the Israeli Defense Forces who hails from New Jersey, was stationed near the Gaza border at the time he was captured.

“We hope he’s holding up and we’re coming for him,” Adi said, reiterating their resolve. “He needs to survive.”