Three family members of hostages held by Hamas, including the father of American hostage Edan Alexander, took to CPAC’s main stage on Thursday.
In an interview with CPAC senior fellow Mercedes Schlapp, the three told the stories of their loved ones still in captivity.
“Edan is an all-American kid,” Adi Alexander, the father of the last American believed to be alive in Hamas captivity, said. “He decided on a gap year to enlist in the IDF because of his love for both of his countries.”
Edan was born in Rockville, Maryland, before moving to New Jersey. Edan joined the IDF after high school because of “his love for both of his countries,” his father explained. He was at a small outpost by himself near Kibbutz Nir Oz when he was attacked by terrorists and taken hostage. He has been seen in Hamas propaganda videos.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Adi Alexander, the father of the last American believed to be alive in Hamas captivity, spoke about his son on <a href="https://twitter.com/CPAC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CPAC</a>&#39;s main stage today.
“Edan is an all-American kid,” Adi said. “He decided to take a gap year to enlist in the IDF because of his love for both of his countries.” <a href="https://t.co/oT6RMkfwom">pic.twitter.com/oT6RMkfwom</a>
&mdash; Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/1892680023028486530?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
“We consider ourselves lucky that he managed to surrender,” Adi added.
Adi said he has spoken to President Donald Trump several times who was shocked by the fact that 45 Americans were killed on October 7.
“Ever since we met him, he took ownership on this matter, recognizing that Americans are still being held,” he said. “We are very grateful for that but we have to push forward until they are all out.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Adi Alexander, the dad of the last American believed to be alive in captivity, spoke about his conversations with President Trump on <a href="https://twitter.com/CPAC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CPAC</a>&#39;s main stage.
“He took ownership on this matter, recognizing that Americans are still being held,” he said. “We are very grateful.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/CroqMafvRy">pic.twitter.com/CroqMafvRy</a>
&mdash; Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/1892680810630627635?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
Gal Gilboa-Dalal, who is a survivor of the Nova Music Festival, said he went to the festival with his younger brother Guy, who is currently a hostage in Gaza.
“The terrorists started shooting at us, it was a massive round of shooting that came from all around us,” Gal said. “We had to leave our cars and run away and I haven’t seen my brother ever since.”
After 10 hours of fleeing and hiding from terrorists, Gal said he was taken to a police station by IDF where he called his father and found out his brother was taken hostage.
“Hamas already published a hostage video of him three hours before I was able to escape,” Gal said. “I went to watch over him and I went back without him.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
On CPAC&#39;s main stage, Nova Festival survivor Gal Gilboa-Dalal explains how, after 10 hours of running and hiding from terrorists, he found out that his brother Guy had been taken hostage by Hamas. <a href="https://t.co/YFoSSsGdt9">pic.twitter.com/YFoSSsGdt9</a>
&mdash; Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/1892673926259421575?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
Moshe Lavi, the brother-in-law of Israeli hostage Omri Miran, said Omri and his wife Lishai opened the door to a neighborhood teenager who was being used by terrorists to lure families hiding from their homes on October 7 in Kibbutz Nahal Oz. The teenager, Tomer Arava Eliaz, and his mother Dikla were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bibas-brothers-join-count-of-55-israeli-children-killed-since-october-7-attacks">later found</a> dead.
For hours, Omri and his wife were held captive in their own home with their children, including their two-year-old who had a gun pointed at her by terrorists. They were then grouped with the Idan family whose 18-year-old daughter Maayan was shot and killed in front of her parents. The terrorists accessed Gali Idan’s Facebook account and live-streamed their abuse of the families.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Moshe Lavi, the brother-in-law of Israeli hostage Omri Miran, tells how his family was terrorized on October 7 on <a href="https://twitter.com/CPAC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CPAC</a>&#39;s main stage.
&quot;Being lucky means that you have a hostage in your family that you need to fight for.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/18UlFgk4ww">pic.twitter.com/18UlFgk4ww</a>
&mdash; Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/1892676494649950684?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
“Around 1:30 p.m. Omri was handcuffed and Lishai told him she loves him and will take care of the girls and asked him not to be a hero,” Lavi said. “He told her he loves her and that was the last time she saw him.”
Omri has been in captivity for 503 days.
“I’m lucky because my sister survived, my parents survived, my other sister and her family survived,” Lavi added. “But being lucky means that you have a hostage in your family that you need to fight for.”
On Thursday, Israel received the bodies of Kfir Bibas, Ariel Bibas, and Oded Lifshitz, an elderly man, after the terror group paraded them on stage in front of large, cheering crowds in a propaganda spectacle. The Israel Defense Forces stated that the coffin handed over by Hamas, which they claimed contained the body of Shiri Bibas, actually held the body of an unidentified Gazan woman.
During the spectacle, Red Cross representatives signed documents on stage to receive the bodies. The coffins were then transported to the Israel Defense Forces in the Gaza Strip where they underwent an evaluation by a bomb squad and then were wrapped in Israeli flags.
During their transport to Abu Kabir Forensic Institute in Tel Aviv for identification, somber Israelis gathered in Hostage Square in Tel Aviv and at the institute to await their arrival.
Hamas also released the names of the final six living hostages set to be released from Gaza on Saturday. The list includes Israeli citizens Omer Shem Tov, 22, Omer Wenkert, 23, Eliya Cohen, 27, and Tal Shoham, 30, all of whom were captured by terrorists on October 7. Hisham Al-Sayed, 36, and Avraham (Avera) Mengisto, 39, who have both been hostages in Gaza for about a decade, will also be released.
So far, 19 of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/these-are-the-33-hostages-set-to-be-released-in-first-phase-of-israeli-hamas-hostage-deal">33 hostages</a> have been released during the first phase of the ceasefire, along with five Thai hostages who were released as part of a separate deal. Seventy-three hostages remain in captivity, all but three of whom were abducted on October 7.
The fate of those not slated for the first phase have yet to be negotiated. According to the ceasefire agreement, negotiations for phase two were set to begin on February 3, the 16th day, but discussions have not yet commenced.
This article has been updated to reflect that Hamas returned the body of an unidentified Gazan woman, not the body of Shiri Bibas.

<script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>
<script async src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><div data-widget-host="revcontent" data-pub-id="165152" data-widget-id="290588"></div><script src="https://delivery.revcontent.com/165152/290588/widget.js"></script>

Father Of American Held By Hamas, Adi Alexander, Shares Son’s Story At CPAC

Netanyahu Backs Bill That Few Expected Him To Support

Leftist Scientists Caught Sneaking 113 Vials Of Monkeypox Into America

Man Who Threatened To Bomb TPUSA Event Spent Months Obsessing Over Erika Kirk

Radical Arrested For Bomb Threat Against Erika Kirk

Chilling Post Adds New Twist To Ivanka Trump Assassination Plot

Rubio Outlines Vision For ‘New Cuba’ As Possible Raúl Castro Indictment Looms

News

CPAC

Hamas

Hostages

Israel

Terrorism

World

A video goes viral showing a baby being refused his mother by two gay "dads". This is just the tip of the iceberg, which is why we will have an important discussion today about surrogacy. 

Hour 1

The Matt Walsh Show

Ep. 1765 - This Video Is One Of The Worst Things I've Seen In A Long Time 

The Strait of Hormuz officially opens for business (kind of), the Pope makes “shocking” comments on immigration, and President Trump promises UFO disclosure at TPUSA. 


The Michael Knowles Show

Ep. 1956 -  Pope Leo's "SHOCKING" Immigration Comments EXPLAINED

A false miscreed has corrupted our leadership class.


The Andrew Klavan Show

Ep. 1275 - Dumb, Dumber and Progressive

President Trump announces a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, a murder-suicide involving former Democratic Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax shakes Virginia, and France and Britain hold a conference to secure the Strait of Hormuz – after the Iranian conflict ends. Get the facts first with Morning Wire.

- - -

Ep. 2738

- - -

Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3

- - -

Today's Sponsors:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text 'WIRE' to 83848 to learn more.

Pocket Hose - Text MORNING to 64000 to get a FREE pocket pivot and their 10-pattern sprayer with the purchase of ANY size Copper Head hose. Message and data rates may apply.

Morning Wire

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26 [Member Exclusive]

A ceasefire goes into effect between Israel and Lebanon, a tragic murder-suicide rocks Virginia, and Dairy Queen deploys AI in the drive-thru. Get the facts first with Evening Wire.
- - -
Ep. 2737
- - -
Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3 
- - -
Today’s Sponsor:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text “WIRE” to 83848 to learn more.


Evening Wire: Lebanon Ceasefire Begins & Murder-Suicide Rocks VA | 4.16.26

The Pendragon Cycle

Menu

— News —

Father Of American Held By Hamas, Adi Alexander, Shares Son’s Story At CPAC