Ernst Celebrates the Release of Another American Hostage
President Trump has ended Edan Alexander’s nightmare.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Abraham Accords Caucus co-chair, released the following statement after President Trump secured the release of American citizen Edan Alexander from the hands of Iran-backed Hamas.
Ernst has been a fierce advocate for freeing the hostages and kept up the drumbeat to bring them home.
“Finally, President Trump has ended Edan Alexander’s living nightmare and rescued another American held by Iran-backed Hamas,” Ernst said. “Since the brutal October 7th attack that shed American blood, I have called for our citizens’ immediate release, met with their families, told their stories, and worked with our partners to end this crisis. Now that we have a president that takes American lives seriously, the world – and especially Iran – is witnessing true leadership. I look forward to seeing the continuation of President Trump’s peace through strength in action as he travels to the Middle East, builds upon the success of the Abraham Accords, and will work with him to bring home the bodies of all our citizens.”
Background:
On October 7, 2023, she was in the Middle East and went to Israel just days after Iran-backed Hamas’ attacks to show her support for our ally. In the wake of the horrific terrorist assault, Ernst met with the hostage families in Israel and has remained in close contact with them. A few weeks later, Senator Ernst demanded President Biden do everything in his power to rescue the American hostages and bring them home safely.
In January 2024, she returned to the Middle East and advocated for the release of the hostages in meetings with senior leadership and lead negotiators in Egypt, Israel, Qatar, and Bahrain. In May 2024, she was in Israel when she received reports that the United States withheld an ammunition shipment to Israel and immediately demanded answers from President Biden to hold him accountable for his “ironclad” commitment to our greatest ally in the Middle East. In August 2024, Ernst led a Congressional delegation into Israel that met with Prime Minister Netanyahu to reaffirm support for our ally in the Middle East and reiterate the importance of bringing the hostages home.
Senator Ernst hosted Hagit and Ruby Chen, the parents of American hostage Itay Chen, as her guests for the State of the Union in 2024.
In July 2024, Ernst led a bipartisan group of senators in telling the stories of the American hostages on the U.S. Senate floor and calling for an end to the uncertainty their families have endured since October 7th.
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