The father of Edan Alexander, the US-Israeli soldier recently freed from captivity in Gaza, offered a glimpse of the brutal conditions his son endured while held hostage by Hamas.

In an interview with The New York Times, Adi Alexander described how his 20-year-old son—who had been serving in the IDF for just ten months—was seized, blindfolded with a bag over his head, and subjected to beatings and interrogations.

“There was nothing to interrogate him about,” the elder Alexander said. “They knew about the arrangement of the IDF much better than he did.”

According to Alexander, Edan’s suffering was compounded when a tunnel collapsed around him, injuring his shoulder. For months, he survived on a starvation diet of pita bread, brown beans, rice, and bitter black coffee. His physical condition deteriorated rapidly.

“His whole body has bedbug bites,” Alexander revealed. “His skin is in terrible condition.”

The young soldier’s circumstances reportedly improved slightly after the election of President Trump, with better food provided around the time of the January ceasefire. He was eventually transferred to another tunnel where the conditions were less dire.

But even in the improved setting, the reality remained grim. As other hostages were released—or died—there was, chillingly, more space underground.

Despite the torment, Alexander said hope was never lost. “We never lost hope,” he said. “I could not allow myself to think any other way.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)