NJ Man Serving in IDF May Be Among Hamas Hostages, Murphy Says

More than two weeks after a terrorist attack that killed hundreds of civilians in Israel, a recent graduate from Tenafly High School is believed to still be among the 200 people held hostage by Hamas.

Edan Alexander, 19, is a member of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Golani Brigade 51st Division. He graduated from Tenafly High School as part of the Class of 2022.

Alexander had been serving near the Gaza Strip at the time of the Oct. 7 surprise attack by Hamas on Israel that included a massacre of hundreds of civilians at a music festival. He has been missing since.

Gov. Murphy demanded the safe release of "all hostages taken by Hamas" on Facebook Saturday. He named Alexander as one of the possible hostages.

"We demand that all hostages taken by Hamas be released immediately and unharmed, including New Jersey native Edan Alexander, who may be among the captives. We are doing everything in our power to help bring everyone home swiftly and safely," Murphy said.

It's the first official statement on Alexander's condition since Murphy spoke at a candlelight vigil in Hoboken on Oct. 11.

NJ grandfather says daughter is among the missing

A man from New Jersey said to CBS New York that his daughter and son-in-law have been missing since Hamas ransacked their community

Yehuda Beinin said his family spoke to President Joe Biden over zoom about his daughter Liat, a teacher and guide at Israel's Holocaust museum, and her husband Aviv. Beinin said his three grandchildren survived the Oct. 7 attacks.

Two American hostages released

Hope remains that those missing such as Alexander may be reunited with their families.

On Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that two hostages from Illinois were released, ABC News reported.

Judith Raanan, 59, and her daughter, Natalie Raanan, 17, were received at the border of the Gaza Strip, Netanyahu said. They were in Israel celebrating a relative's birthday when they were kidnapped. Eight other members of their family remain missing in Gaza.

"The Government of Israel, the IDF and the entire security establishment will continue to operate with the best of their abilities and efforts in order to locate all the missing and return the abductees are all home," Netanyahu said.