New York – Families of Israeli American hostages captured by Hamas, including the parents of Tenafly High School graduate Edan Alexander, gathered outside the United Nations on Tuesday to demand greater international efforts to secure the return of their loved ones.
“These hostages need to be brought back yesterday − not tomorrow, yesterday,” said Liam Zeitchick, who said his cousins and their three children were abducted from a safe room in southern Israel during the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks.
Edan Alexander, 19, is a soldier in the Israeli military and was serving near the southern border with Gaza when he was abducted. He is believed to be among 220 hostages taken by Hamas, according to the Israeli government.
His relatives chose not to speak to the media on Tuesday, citing the emotional difficulty of the situation.
The families were joined by Israel’s foreign minister and U.N. ambassador, as well as representatives of human rights organizations, all united in their call for the hostages’ safe return.
Dozens of shoes were arranged outside the U.N., along with posters bearing the names and photos of those missing.
Israel-Hamas war: Reference
