LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl began his postgame NCAA Tournament news conference on Saturday night by advocating for the release of Edan Alexander, the last living American being held hostage in Gaza by Hamas.
Alexander, a 21-year-old Israeli-American soldier who grew up in the United States, is one of 59 hostages still in Gaza, more than half of whom are believed to be dead. Last week, Hamas said it would release Alexander and the bodies of four other hostages held there since its Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel if Israel recommitted to a stalled ceasefire agreement.
Pearl, who is Jewish, made the plea for
Alexander’s return after the top-seeded Tigers’ 82-70 victory over No. 9 Creighton, saying he sought his players’ permission to bring up the subject.
“I get asked a lot how this basketball program has become so competitive over the last eight years,” Pearl said. “But for me, I believe it was God’s plan to give us this success, success beyond what we deserve. To give us this platform. To give us an opportunity to start this conference briefly and remind the world that Edan Alexander is still held hostage in Gaza right now. An American held hostage and not enough people in this country know his name.”
Alexander’s father, Adi, said on Friday that he was more optimistic about the chances that the U.S. could secure his son’s safe return.