American-Israeli former hostage Edan Alexander met with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday for the first time since being released from Hamas captivity in May.

In footage of the meeting published by the White House, Trump’s Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff, who brokered Alexander’s release, could be heard asking Alexander to share with the president what happened when Trump won the US presidential race in November.

“They immediately took me to a new place, a good place,” said Alexander of his Gaza captors.

Trump, standing next to his wife Melania, quipped in response: “They weren’t too afraid of [former US president Joe] Biden.”

“We’re very proud that I saved you,” Trump said, adding that securing Alexander’s release was “very important” to the first lady. “Overall, the fact that you’re American had a… big impact here,” he said.

Following the 30-minute meeting with Trump, Alexander said he had urged the president to do whatever he could to secure the release of the remaining 50 hostages, and shared with him the fear that continued fighting in Gaza could endanger those still in captivity, according to comments published by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

“I came to thank the person who is responsible for saving my life,” said Alexander. “I was deeply moved to be in the White House — the same place where my parents had been many times during their fight for my release, but this time together with them.”

“I told the most powerful........

© The Times of Israel