Freed Hostage Edan Alexander Honored With IDF Promotion

In a powerful gesture of honor and national unity, the IDF has promoted Edan Alexander, a former Hamas hostage and Golani Brigade soldier, to the rank of sergeant first class. The 21-year-old New Jersey native returned to Israel in May after spending 584 harrowing days in captivity and has since made it clear: his commitment to the State of Israel remains unshaken.

Alexander was abducted during the Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023, while serving near Nahal Oz along the Gaza border. His release earlier this year followed intense diplomatic efforts that included direct involvement from the Trump administration.

Far from retreating into a quiet civilian life, Alexander’s first priority was to rejoin his brothers in arms. “Serving in the IDF is one of the greatest honors of my life,” he told supporters at a recent Friends of the IDF (FIDF) gala in New York. “Next month, God willing, I will return to Israel. I will once again put on the IDF uniform, and I will proudly serve alongside my brothers.”

His words and his actions have become a beacon of strength for both Israeli society and the broader Jewish world. At the promotion ceremony, IDF Maj. Gen. Kalifa hailed Alexander as “an inspiration to all soldiers who wear the uniform and to those who stand behind them.”

Alexander, who made aliyah from Tenafly, New Jersey, to serve as a lone soldier, represents the finest example of Jewish courage and identity. His decision to return to duty despite enduring captivity underscores the values that bind Israel’s defenders: loyalty, resilience, and an unbreakable spirit.

He also paid tribute to the IDF soldiers still serving and to the families of the fallen. “I carry your sacrifice with me always,” he said, honoring those who never came home and those who continue to protect Israel’s borders every day.

Alexander’s promotion isn’t just a military rank it’s a national salute to perseverance in the face of evil, a reminder that no enemy can extinguish the resolve of the Jewish people.

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