Hamas Claims It Lost Contact With Hostage Edan Alexander’s Captors
A spokesperson for Hamas’s armed wing claimed the group has lost communication with the militants holding 20-year-old Edan Alexander, a U.S.-Israeli citizen abducted during the October 7, 2023, attack.
According to the BBC, the spokesperson blamed a “direct strike” on the captors’ location for the loss of contact, though no proof or specifics—such as the timing or exact location—were provided.
Alexander, a lone soldier in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), was seized near Kibbutz Nirim during Hamas’s cross-border assault. On Saturday, Hamas released a propaganda video showing Alexander, in which he stated he had been in captivity for 551 days—suggesting the footage was recorded the previous Wednesday.
Following the video’s release, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir spoke with Alexander’s family, reaffirming the military’s dedication to securing the return of all hostages. “We are doing everything possible to bring them back,” Zamir told the family, calling their safe return both a strategic mission and a moral duty.
The Alexander family, originally from Tenafly, New Jersey, issued a public statement: “Edan, who came to Israel and enlisted in the Golani Brigade to protect the country, is still being held by Hamas. As Passover approaches, remember: this is not a holiday of freedom while Edan and the remaining 58 hostages are still in captivity.”
Alexander is believed to be the only surviving American hostage among the five initially captured. According to other former hostages, he endured over 500 days in a tunnel, where he was allegedly tortured, malnourished, and kept in chains.
Steve Witkoff, a special envoy under the Trump administration, recently emphasized the urgency of Alexander’s release. “Edan is not just a hostage; he’s an American citizen in critical condition. His freedom is a top priority,” Witkoff said in early March.
Israel previously accused Hamas of engaging in “cruel psychological warfare” after an earlier video of Alexander surfaced in November.
Israeli Airstrike Kills Senior Hezbollah Operative
The IDF reported the death of a Hezbollah special operations commander in southern Lebanon on Tuesday as tensions escalate near the Israel-Lebanon border.
The airstrike targeted the Aitaroun area and, according to Lebanese media, killed Ali Beizoun. Lebanon’s health ministry confirmed one fatality and three injuries, including a child.
This incident comes against the backdrop of growing friction between Hezbollah, the Lebanese Armed Forces, and Israel. Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, has floated the idea of talks with Lebanon’s government to discuss a “national defense strategy”—a move seen by critics as an attempt to bolster political legitimacy while retaining its weapons.
The current conflict began on October 8, 2023, when Hezbollah launched attacks following the Hamas-led incursion into Israel. The group has suffered significant losses over the past 11 months, with thousands of fighters and top commanders killed.
Despite a ceasefire agreed to in November 2024—which required Hezbollah to vacate southern Lebanon—Israel continues to report violations. Tuesday’s strike occurred in territory Hezbollah was supposed to have vacated.
While most Israeli forces have since withdrawn, some IDF units remain stationed in key strategic areas along the border. Israeli leaders insist these positions will only be relinquished once the Lebanese military demonstrates it can control Hezbollah’s presence.
Calls for Hezbollah’s disarmament have intensified, especially from Lebanese political parties like the Lebanese Forces and international actors including the United States. A senior Hezbollah figure, however, recently doubled down, insisting the group will “never disarm, hand over weapons, or compromise.”
Arson Suspect Cites Opposition to Governor’s Alleged Stance on Palestinians
The man accused of firebombing the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion claimed the attack was in response to what he believes are the governor’s intentions toward Palestinians.
Cody A. Balmer, 38, of Harrisburg, allegedly called 911 shortly after the early-morning April 13 attack and confessed to setting fire to the residence. According to a search warrant obtained by Penn Live, Balmer told dispatchers he wanted Governor Josh Shapiro to know he would not “take part in his plans for what he wants to do to the Palestinian people.”
The warrant also notes Balmer said he needed to “stop having my friends killed” and that “our people have been put through too much by that monster.” Investigators noted his statements sounded rehearsed, possibly read from a script.
Balmer reportedly added, “You all know where to find me. I’m not hiding, and I will confess to everything that I had done.”
While formal hate crime charges—under Pennsylvania’s ethnic intimidation statute—have not yet been filed, Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo indicated the suspect’s motives could lead to a harsher sentence if he is convicted. The investigation remains ongoing.
