The father of an Israeli American says he is still held captive by Hamas in Gaza. Six hostages killed “This should never have happened.” The Israeli military announced on Saturday that they had recovered six bodies from a tunnel beneath the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
Adi Alexander’s 20-year-old son, Aden Alexander, was kidnapped by Hamas during the deadly attack on October 7. Adi said he was in a meeting. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu When he visited Washington DC in July.
Adi told “CBS Mornings” on Monday that he had asked Netanyahu about a ceasefire and a deal for the release of hostages.
“He was committed to this agreement, so now a month later six hostages are dead – this should never have happened. He is prolonging the war for short-term political reasons,” he said. “This is unacceptable.”
Thousands of Israelis have taken to the streets to protest. Members of the country’s largest labor union went on strike Following news of the hostages’ deaths, a cease-fire and the return of the remaining hostages was called.
Adi is among relatives of the hostages who have met with National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan more than a dozen times about US efforts to reach a deal. He said he spoke with Sullivan on Sunday and said a new proposal was being prepared that would be presented to Hamas and the Israelis.
Adi called the proposal “now or never”.
“I’m hoping they take it seriously and say, ‘Yeah, let’s go,'” he said.
Adi and his wife Yael said it was devastating to hear about the hostages being killed.
Yael remembers Rachel Goldberg-Polin – Hersh Goldberg-Polinwho was one of the prisoners who died – had been telling her and other hostage families for the past 11 months that “hope is essential”. But now, she says she is struggling for words to describe what they are feeling.
“I don’t want to say it was disappointing, but it was a difficult moment for all of us,” she said on “CBS Mornings.”
Adi said he knows his son is “a tough kid.” Aidan is a New Jersey native who volunteered to serve in the IDF after high school. He was stationed near the Gaza border when he was taken hostage.
“We’re hoping he’s okay and we’re coming to get him,” Adi said. “He needs to survive.”