The gathering seeks to forge bridges of connection and trust linking Israel with Diaspora Jewry, businesses with the US administration, and classical Zionism with the emerging landscape of technology, economics, and global communications. The summit will spotlight the period's central questions – how to build the day after the war, what role the American Jewry plays in shaping Israel's future, and how to preserve mutual responsibility and shared values connecting the Jewish people across the ocean.

The summit comes at a dramatic moment. Israel has been recovering from its longest war in history, while the American Jewish community confronts a rising wave of antisemitism and a New York mayoral election where an anti-Israel candidate leads in polls. Against this backdrop, New York – home to the world's largest Jewish community outside Israel – will transform for one day into an extraordinary gathering place for leaders, entrepreneurs, intellectuals, and diplomats.

Among the many prominent figures participating in the New York summit are Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon, former Ambassador David Friedman, former Ambassador Gilad Erdan, Israel's Ambassador to the US Rabbi Dr. Yechiel Leiter, the parents of fallen hostage Omer Neutra, the parents of returned hostage Edan Alexander, Senator John Fetterman, philanthropist Sylvan Adams, Strauss Group Chairwoman Ofra Strauss, businessman and entrepreneur Adam Neumann, Rashi Foundation Chairmain Shaul Shani, philanthropist and businessman Michael Eisenberg, HaShomer HaChadash CEO Yoel Zilberman, Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli, Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu, Masa Israel Journey CEO Meir Holtz, Rabbi Ari Berman, Elan Carr, and additional senior guests from the worlds of policy, academia, high-tech, and the Jewish community.

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Alexander, an IDF soldier with American citizenship who announced in September that he planned to re-enlist, was invited by President Trump and met with him at 10 p.m. Israel time. Back in July, the former hostage visited the White House with his family and met with Trump and several senior administration officials.

On the 2nd anniversary of October 7th, President Trump met with Edan Alexander and his family, and the family of Omer Neutra, whose body is still in Gaza. pic.twitter.com/jFw2nVVQax

— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) October 7, 2025

Hours before the White House announced the meeting between the two, the US president said he believed there were "strong prospects" for a deal, as indirect negotiations between Israel and the terrorist organization were underway in Egypt.

"The people of Israel want this to happen. You can see tens of thousands demonstrating, calling for the hostages to be brought home and for this to end," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. He also claimed that the US had received a clear signal from Iran indicating it wanted the war to end, in his words.

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Alexander was accompanied by his parents, Adi and Yael, his sister Mika, and his brother Roy. "I came to thank the person who played a role in saving my life, and I was deeply moved to be at the White House, where my parents had been multiple times during the campaign for my release, this time with me," Alexander said.

"I told the most powerful man in the world what I went through, what my friends are still going through, and I asked him to continue doing everything in his power. I shared my fear that continued fighting endangers the hostages and said I hope he can secure another historic achievement, a comprehensive deal to release them all, all 50 hostages. I told him I believe he's the one who can do it. I'm honored to mark my freedom on the eve of US Independence Day in this way."

Yael Alexander added, "Today I had the privilege of meeting President Donald Trump and the First Lady and personally thanking them for saving my son and restoring our family's spirit. I call on the prime minister and the government of Israel: It's time to end this nightmare for the families and all of Israel - bring the hostages home. All of them. Now."

White House spokesperson Caroline Leavitt, who also met with released hostages, said, "The horrors they endured under Hamas captivity are unimaginable, but their strength and faith in God throughout are deeply inspiring."

Alexander, 21, was released after 584 days in Hamas captivity. He grew up in Tenafly, New Jersey, and was not obligated to serve in the Israel Defense Forces. After graduating high school, he moved to Israel and volunteered to serve in the Golani Brigade.

On October 7, Alexander chose to remain at the military post near Kibbutz Nirim where he was stationed, even though his mother was visiting Israel for the holidays. She saw him briefly before he was abducted by Hamas terrorists and taken into the Gaza Strip.

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"His whole body has bedbug bites. His skin is in terrible condition. He survived on pitas, rice, and legumes. At some point, a tunnel collapsed on him and injured his shoulder. Entire months without sunlight, without showers, with pain and complete isolation," Adi Alexander told The New York Times in an interview following his son's release.

The father revealed disturbing details about the initial period of captivity, when the captors placed a sack over Edan's head. He was restrained, beaten, and subjected to interrogations – though these yielded little useful information for Hamas. "He had only been a soldier for ten months. They knew about the
arrangement of the IDF much better than he did," Adi Alexander explained.

Despite the excruciating uncertainty that defined nearly two years of waiting, Adi maintained that he refused to surrender to hopelessness. "We never lost hope. I could not allow myself to think any other way," he said.

The moment of breakthrough arrived unexpectedly on Sunday when Adi, at his New Jersey home, discovered eight missed calls from United States Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff. When they finally connected, Witkoff delivered life-changing news, saying, "Stand next to your wife, put on speaker. In ten minutes, Hamas will announce your son's release."

The family immediately departed for Israel. On Monday evening, they experienced the emotional reunion with Edan at Reim base before being airlifted by helicopter to Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv, where an entire floor was dedicated to their privacy and recovery. "We have the whole floor! The whole family is here. It's amazing," the father remarked with evident emotion.

Amid all the trauma and suffering, Adi identified one essential aspect of his son's personality that remained intact. "He was this goofy, funny guy. He's still funny. I don't think he's a different person. He is simply tired," his father noted, suggesting that despite everything, the core of who Edan is survived the ordeal.

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And yet, in the same breath, we are angrier than ever at Qatar, which has once again shown that it has been puppeteering Hamas all along.

On Sunday, Hamas announced its planned "unconditional" release of Edan in what was described as a "gesture" to US President Donald Trump ahead of his visit to the region on Tuesday. Edan Alexander was the last living American hostage in Hamas captivity, and the terror group – along with its financiers in Qatar, seemed to be using his US citizenship as an exploitation tactic. Media outlets reported that the agreement was made through direct talks between the United States and Hamas.

The following day, late Monday morning, Hamas confirmed it would release Edan later that evening. This announcement was immediately followed by reports that the United States was considering flying Edan Alexander and his family to Qatar to meet with Trump and the emir during the president's visit. These reports, later confirmed by the Alexander family, stated that Edan would travel with US Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff, though they clarified the decision would ultimately be Edan's and dependent on his health. On Tuesday it was determined that he would not travel after all.

The last thing anyone held hostage for 19 months should be asked to do is travel to the country that funded his captors. Edan Alexander needs trauma therapy, medical care, and time with his family, not a flight to Qatar to be paraded in front of cameras alongside Trump and the emir. In an effort to avoid angering Trump, Hamas did not subject Edan to the humiliating hostage release ceremony it inflicted on the other Israeli hostages. While Edan was not paraded on a stage, Hamas still managed to capture a photo of him before handing him over to the Red Cross. In that image stands a young, 21-year-old Jewish boy between armed terrorists and humanitarian workers – a more polished version of Hamas' ongoing propaganda campaign.

And which outlet released the photo? None other than Al-Jazeera, the Qatari state-sponsored propaganda outlet, which not only aligns with Hamas but has reportedly employed Hamas operatives posing as "journalists" while harboring Israeli hostages in their homes.

Qatar has long been a major financial and political supporter of Hamas, transferring more than $1.8 billion to the group over the years. According to a Qatari official interviewed by Der Spiegel in 2023, Qatar was transferring $30 million to Hamas every month.

Qatar hasn't just financed Hamas, it has also sheltered its leadership. Many senior Hamas officials, including Ismail Haniyeh (who was later eliminated by Israel in Tehran) and Khaled Mashal, have been based in Doha. Qatar has provided them with safe haven and a global platform.

What we saw with Alexander's release is that Qatar has had the power all along to influence Hamas. They demanded the release of the final living American captive, and Hamas complied. In late April, Israeli media reported that Qatar had persuaded Hamas to reject an Egyptian hostage deal, advising the terror group to hold out for a better offer. This proves that Qatar could have pressured Hamas to release the hostages long ago. I only wish they had done so before Hersh Goldberg-Polin and others were murdered.

Now, with Qatar's latest "gift" to President Trump, many are justifiably concerned that the Gulf state's influence over American politics runs far deeper than we previously thought. CNN, the BBC, and other major outlets have reported that the Trump administration is set to receive a $400 million Qatari jet to replace an Air Force One. Regardless of the justification, America should not be accepting gifts from a corrupt Islamist regime that sponsors Hamas, the Taliban, Al-Qaida, and others. Qatar has already bought off some of America's most elite institutions. Accepting a gift like this only reinforces the image of a weak and compromised United States.

The irony is staggering. So many anti-Israel activists scapegoat lobby groups like AIPAC or blame America's problems on "Jewish money," yet they remain completely silent now.

Nobody is fooled. The Qataris may have brokered Alexander's release, but they are the ones who financed his abduction. Qatar positions itself as a mediator and defends its support for Hamas under the guise of regional diplomacy. The truth is far more sinister: they are legitimizing, empowering, and sustaining terrorism.

For them to even suggest that Alexander visit is insulting. It's not diplomacy, it's theater.

Qatar is not a hero in this story. They are the villain dressed as a savior, exploiting the very trauma they helped create. They didn't free Alexander out of compassion or diplomacy. They released him as a calculated political move, using a 21-year-old Jewish-American boy as a bargaining chip to buy influence, launder their image, and curry favor with a visiting US president.

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"Edan? It's so good to hear your voice," Netanyahu began. Alexander, sounding understandably weak but relieved, responded, "Crazy, crazy, unbelievable."

Netanyahu conveyed the national sentiment, telling Alexander, "We are overjoyed, [your] mom and dad are overjoyed, and the entire nation of Israel is overjoyed. I want you to know, this is simply a wonderful moment."

Video: PM Netanyahu speaks with Edan Alexander / Credit: PMO

When asked how he was feeling, Alexander replied, "Okay. Weak, but slowly, slowly... we'll get back to what we were before. It's all a matter of time." He confirmed his family, including his parents, were with him. "Everyone is with me," he said, adding he had hugged them tightly.

Netanyahu expressed his happiness for the entire family, including grandparents, stating, "Today, we are all one family." He then quipped that he wants to give Alexander one directive: "Other than you being a free man now, listen to what the doctors say. We have amazing medical teams." Alexander assured him, "I hear everything. I'm taking it all slowly."

Netanyahu concluded his direct words to Alexander with heartfelt blessings: "Welcome back, from the bottom of my heart. Truly, from the bottom of my heart. And truly, truly blessings from the people of Israel."

The call then included Witkoff, who was with Alexander. Netanyahu told Witkoff, "Hey, you have one brave Israeli soldier there, who's also a champion of America and Israel together. And we're very, very happy and very grateful to the help that you and President Trump gave us." Netanyahu added, "We of course value his comrades, the Israeli soldiers who are there ready to take whatever action if our other friends, our other hostages are not released. So that's a, it's a great moment. And so thank you."

Witkoff, in turn, praised Netanyahu's role in securing Alexander's release. "Mr. Prime Minister, I've told Edan and his family everything that you have done to make this possible over the last several days," Witkoff stated. "It was a tense negotiation and it was critical how you allowed the negotiations to operate, and that's in large part the reason that Edan is home with his family today."

The conversation, conducted while Netanyahu sat at his desk with a yellow ribbon pinned to his lapel – a symbol of solidarity with the hostages.

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Nevertheless, we must not allow scenes of family reunion joy to obscure the dangerous diplomatic low point Israel has reached with this release. The operation occurred behind Israel's back without any coordination, as the Trump administration engaged directly with a terrorist organization that Israel aims to eliminate. Even without considering promises that Americans may have made or implied regarding humanitarian aid and combat cessation, Hamas received substantial legitimization from Washington.

The statement from the Prime Minister's Office claiming the release resulted from Israel's military pressure in Gaza was an awkward attempt, destined to fail, to conceal this reality. Military pressure undoubtedly hurts Hamas, but in this exchange, the organization strategically outmaneuvered Israel.

Those suggesting Israel "paid no price" are deceiving themselves and the public. Even without releasing prisoners as would certainly be required in a "normal" prisoner exchange, the price Israel paid is multiple times higher and more dangerous at every conceivable level.

Trump's report card

In a WhatsApp group of a reserve unit scheduled for mobilization next month for extended operations, one commander wrote cynically on Monday that soldiers should hurry to secure foreign passports before returning to combat. This crystallized the disturbing sentiment also expressed by families of other hostages – that instead of the Israeli government protecting Alexander who fought on its behalf and under its orders, the United States stepped in to rescue him.

The disappointment many on the Israeli right have expressed recently about Trump's policies has been unmistakable. Some commentators and writers are assigning him grades; others offer recommendations. Both groups err twice: first, because Trump isn't an Israeli agent but an American president safeguarding his country's interests. Second, because the person responsible for Israeli citizens is their prime minister, not a foreign leader – however friendly.

Video: Edan Alexander's family react to his release / Hostage and Missing Families Forum

In this collision of interests, Netanyahu made several critical missteps that led to Israel's current predicament. Like connecting dots in a child's drawing, the pattern becomes clear: the confidential discussions Americans conducted with the Houthis until achieving an agreement that abandoned Israel to confront them alone; the dialogue they maintain with Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) and with new Syrian leader Abu Mohammad al-Julani, who mere months ago was their bitter enemy; nuclear talks with Iran where Israel's influence remains peripheral; and now the separate agreement with Hamas that secured Alexander's release.

Final opportunity for course correction

We can broaden the perspective further. Consider the agreements Trump is expected to sign during his visit to three Gulf states, portions of which – as reported in Israel Hayom on Sunday – threaten Israel's qualitative military advantage and could eventually pose direct security threats. Or examine Turkey's dramatically elevated status, as it prepares to host the Putin-Zelensky summit on Wednesday and may collect dividends by reinforcing its position in Syria while presenting a direct threat to Israel.

While Israel cannot alter these realities entirely, it can influence most of them. Alexander's release provides an opportunity, perhaps the final one, to decide whether to stabilize the ship or accelerate its sinking.

Dispatching a negotiating team to Doha represents a necessary measure, but dialogue alone or shifting responsibility to Hamas will prove ineffective. The organization recognizes the trap Israel has created for itself and will attempt to exploit it fully to maximize benefits.

Historians will undoubtedly examine Israel's missteps. The decision to avoid determining "the day after" at the war's outset, leaving Hamas in power; rejecting a comprehensive deal earlier, costing numerous hostages their lives; vacillation regarding humanitarian assistance, which strengthened Hamas; pursuing extreme ideologies and figures that pushed Israel into the dangerous position of an international pariah whose leaders face global arrest warrants, while enemy leaders receive warm welcomes abroad.

Israel's strategic errors

Should Israel pursue a deal, it would regain domestic and international credibility, while Hamas' ultimate defeat could be achieved later. Should it choose continued fighting, it risks further isolation and potentially losing Washington's backing. Netanyahu's remarks about needing independence from American security assistance were illogical and potentially dangerous – in the current Washington climate, someone might be tempted to implement them.

Instead of participating in photo opportunities with a hostage whose release he played no role in securing, Netanyahu should return to fundamental issues: for the umpteenth time, he must choose between Israel's national interests and his personal and political interests. While this dilemma is familiar to him, it appears that both he and Israel have exhausted their time. The decisions he makes in the coming days will profoundly impact the nation's future.

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I was honored to meet Edan Alexander today and welcome him home. After months in captivity, the world is inspired by his courage and resilience. His return gives hope to so many. We also had the opportunity to speak with @POTUS, whose leadership made this possible. We remain… pic.twitter.com/9rninnXSJy

— Office of the Special Envoy to the Middle East (@SE_MiddleEast) May 13, 2025

"I was honored to meet Edan Alexander today and welcome him home. After months in captivity, the world is inspired by his courage and resilience. His return gives hope to so many. We also had the opportunity to speak with @POTUS, whose leadership made this possible. We remain committed to bringing every last hostage home." Witkoff wrote on X.

Alexander, a lone soldier from New Jersey, was abducted from the Kisufim outpost after volunteering to cover a Shabbat shift at the base on Oct. 7. At the end of November 2024, his family received a sign of life when the terrorist organization Hamas released a video of him.

While Alexander couldn't travel, Trump's Special Envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, visited him personally. During their meeting, Alexander spoke directly with Trump in a phone conversation. "We remain committed to bringing every last hostage home," Witkoff wrote on X. Following his visit with Alexander, Witkoff made an appearance at the Hostages Square in Tel Aviv where he assured the public, "We are working on releasing everyone."

The family explained that Alexander's medical situation prevents him from flying to Qatar on Wednesday as originally scheduled. Nevertheless, they indicated that Alexander will likely speak with Trump by phone again and meet with him at the White House when his condition improves.

Alexander had already expressed his gratitude to Trump through a message written on an erasable board in the helicopter that transported him after his release. His message read, "Thank you very much President Trump," followed by "Am Israel Chai" and "Heida Golani 51" in honor of his military unit.

Video: Steve Witkoff visits Hostage Square / Credit: Paz Bar

Upon his return, Alexander shared with his family the details of his ordeal. He revealed that on October 7, he single-handedly fought against 30 attackers before being captured. He described enduring severe torture and prolonged interrogations during his captivity. According to testimonies, his captors kept him in a cage with his hands and feet shackled for an extended period, which resulted in significant weakness in his legs that made walking difficult on the day of his release.

Video: Special Envoy for Hostage Response at the Hostages Square / Credit: Paz Bar

Reports from Kan 11 News indicate Alexander was held in southern Gaza alongside other hostages, including Matan Zangauker. They were kept in a tunnel without natural light, where they experienced serious food shortages. The report stated that Alexander only began receiving adequate food in recent months. In the weeks preceding his release, his captors had taken to referring to him as "the American."

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It was also reported that he was held for a long period in a cage, bound hand and foot. As a result of the prolonged restraint, he suffered significant weakness in his legs and struggled to walk upon his release. Red Cross personnel had to assist him into the vehicle during his transfer.

Alexander was held alongside other hostages in the southern Gaza Strip, including Matan Zangauker, in a tunnel without daylight. There, he endured severe food shortages, according to a report by Kan 11. Only in recent months did he begin to receive more food, and in the final weeks before his release, the terrorists reportedly took to calling him "the American."

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After enduring 584 days in Hamas captivity, American-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander finally returned home.

In dramatic development that coincides with US President Donald Trump's Middle East visit, the 21-year-old lone soldier, who was kidnapped from his military base during the October 7 attacks, was released in a carefully orchestrated operation beginning around 6:30 p.m. Monday from Khan Younis, according to official statements from Hamas's military wing and IDF sources.

Edan's parents landed at Ben Gurion International Airport Monday afternoon. A security source reported that an air force helicopter carrying Yael, Edan's mother, and several other individuals took off from Ben Gurion Airport and made its way to the intake facility near Kibbutz Re'im in southern Israel, where the hostage is expected to arrive after connecting with IDF forces in the Gaza Strip.

Edan, a 21-year-old Golani Brigade fighter who was kidnapped from an IDF base in the Gaza border region, is an American citizen who grew up in New Jersey. On October 7, he volunteered to stay with his friends at the base. His release comes as a gesture from Hamas for US President Donald Trump's visit to the Middle East – in an agreement made without the involvement of the Israeli government.

The Latest: 

8:04 p.m.: IDF spokesperson: Edan Alexander is on Israeli soil.

7:38 p.m.: IDF spokesperson says Edan has now been transferred to IDF forces in the Gaza Strip.
He is currently being escorted by an elite IDF unit on his way back to Israel, where he will undergo an initial medical assessment and meet with his family members.

7:29 p.m.: Edan Alexander's father tells N12 News, "It's very emotional, we couldn't sleep last night. I was connected to all the news channels like an IV drip. He's handsome. A bit pale, but that's my child."

7:10 p.m.: The Alexander family receives updates on Edan's handover to the Red Cross. Edan's grandmother, Varda, said: "He is okay. Thank God."

Video: Credit: Hostages and Missing Families Forum

6:55 p.m.: IDF spokesperson: According to the Red Cross, the hostage has been transferred to their custody and they are making their way to IDF forces in the Gaza Strip.

6:31 p.m.: Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander has been handed over to the Red Cross.

6:16 p.m.: US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Israel's Hostages and Missing Persons Coordinator Gal Hirsch are on their way to the facility in Re'im, near the Gaza border, to receive Edan.

6:13 p.m.: According to reports in Arab media, Edan Alexander has been handed over to the Red Cross.

5:58 p.m.: According to a security source, the Red Cross is on its way to the handover point in southern Gaza.

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