Residents line streets to welcome home Israeli-American hostage

Edan Alexander, an American-born Israeli soldier and believed to be the last living American hostage held in Gaza, has returned home to New Jersey.

Hundreds of cheering supporters, many waving Israeli flags and holding “Welcome Home Edan” signs, lined the streets of Tenafly to greet his passing vehicle.

A smiling Mr Alexander held his arm out the passenger-side window to wave and touch the hands of people in the crowd.

The militant group Hamas released Mr Alexander, 21, on May 12 after 584 days. He has been in Israel since he was freed.

Thursday marked his first trip home to Tenafly, the suburb of New York City where he grew up and where his family still lives.

Mr Alexander was 19 when militants stormed his base in Israel and dragged him into the Gaza Strip.

He was among the 251 people taken hostage in Hamas’ attack on October 7 2023.

Mr Alexander moved to Israel in 2022 after finishing high school and enlisted in the military.

Since his capture, there’s been a huge outpouring of support for him in Tenafly, located in a county with a large Jewish and Israeli-American population.

The community held regular walks to raise awareness about him and the other hostages. Many gathered in May to celebrate his release.

“Edan’s return is the return of everybody’s child, every organisation, every family, every Israeli family, and non-Israeli, and non-Jews,” Orly Chen, a Tenafly resident, told CBS News New York on Thursday.