SUBSTACK (The Grayzone) - 'Last American hostage in Gaza' Edan Alexander was not US citizen, source says
Is the Trump administration corrupting the immigration system for Israel?
The Trump administration took the unusual step of negotiating directly for the release of captive IDF soldier Edan Alexander on the grounds that he was a dual American-Israeli citizen. But a source who’s been in contact with his family says he was not a US citizen at all. The Grayzone has confirmed Alexander is a client of elite immigration lawyers. By Max Blumenthal On May 11, 2025, President Donald Trump took to his Truth Social app to proclaim that his administration had secured the release of one of the last and most high profile Israelis held in the Gaza Strip. He had been held captive for 584 days, and according to Trump, he was also a US citizen. “I am happy to announce that Edan Alexander, an American citizen who has been held…Open
What happened following the establishment of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) by the Trump administration?
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation was a US-Israeli non-profit intended to replace UNRWA as the primary aid agency in Gaza. It established aid hubs staffed by US mercenaries who collaborated with the Israeli military. These hubs became sites of massacres; on June 1, 2025, Israeli troops killed over 40 and injured 150 people seeking aid at a GHF site, an event referred to by residents as a "Witkoff massacre."
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How did Steve Witkoff facilitate the final deal for Alexander's release from the Gaza Strip?
Steve Witkoff, the president’s personal Middle East envoy, circumvented Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to seal the deal. Witkoff personally assured a Hamas negotiating team member, Bassem Naim, that if Alexander was released, Trump would thank Hamas, and the US would push for a permanent ceasefire and compel Israel to open borders for humanitarian aid. Although Hamas later claimed the promises regarding the ceasefire and aid were not kept, Witkoff successfully secured Alexander's release.
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What are the legal complications regarding Alexander's eligibility for US naturalization based on the information provided?
To become a naturalized citizen, a foreign national not married to an American must live in the US for five years without leaving before applying. Alexander does not meet this because he returned to Israel in 2022 to join the Garin Tzabar program and serve in the IDF's Golani Brigade, not returning to New Jersey until May 2025. While Section 317 of the Immigration and Naturalization Act allows for time spent abroad for religious duties to count, Alexander's service was military, not religious, making his path to citizenship legally questionable.
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Why did the Trump administration take the unprecedented step of negotiating directly with Hamas for Edan Alexander's release?
The Trump administration negotiated directly with Hamas on the grounds that Alexander was a US citizen. During these negotiations, Adam Boehler, the State Department Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, issued threats of US military action against Hamas if Alexander were harmed. The administration's direct involvement was fueled by a campaign involving figures like Ben Shapiro, the parents' hiring of the PR firm SKDK, and support from Miriam Adelson and the American Jewish Committee.
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What specific details are provided regarding Edan Alexander's background and his legal representation in the United States?
Edan Alexander was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, and raised in Tenafly, New Jersey. He was a permanent legal resident of the US and was represented by the immigration department of the Los Angeles-based law firm Mitchell, Silberberg and Knupp (MSK). David Wulkan of MSK's immigration department and Howard Shapiro, the co-chair of the firm's immigration department, both confirmed Alexander was a client, though they declined to provide specific details regarding his citizenship status.
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What status did the Trump administration claim Edan Alexander held, and what did a source from his family reveal regarding his actual citizenship?
The Trump administration proclaimed that Edan Alexander was an American citizen, even using the phrase "the American Edan Alexander" and referring to him as "the last living American citizen held by Hamas." However, a source in contact with Alexander's family informed The Grayzone that Alexander was not a US citizen at all, but rather a permanent legal resident who filed an application for naturalization with the US Department of State in the summer of 2025.
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