{"id":27469,"date":"2025-05-14T10:30:10","date_gmt":"2025-05-14T14:30:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/news\/?p=27469"},"modified":"2025-05-14T10:30:10","modified_gmt":"2025-05-14T14:30:10","slug":"grandmother-of-hamas-hostage-credits-trump-as-messenger-for-god-before-grandsons-release","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/news\/2025\/05\/grandmother-of-hamas-hostage-credits-trump-as-messenger-for-god-before-grandsons-release","title":{"rendered":"Grandmother of Hamas Hostage Credits Trump as ‘Messenger for God’ Before Grandson’s Release"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Left: Yeshiva World News | Right: IDF Spokesperson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In a heartfelt and emotional moment, Varda Ben Baruch, the grandmother of Hamas hostage Edan Alexander, expressed deep gratitude toward former President Donald Trump, calling him a “messenger for God.” Her remarks came just hours before her grandson’s anticipated release by the militant group.<\/p>\n

“Trump made all the efforts, and he is a good messenger of the Holy One, blessed be he,” Ben Baruch told Ynet. “Thank God that the government cared about him.”<\/p>\n

Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old Israeli-American from New Jersey, was expected to be freed by Hamas as part of a goodwill gesture toward the Trump administration. The young man’s release was slated to take place at 6:30 p.m. local time (11:30 a.m. ET), according to Israeli officials.<\/p>\n

Ben Baruch, overwhelmed with emotion, described the day of his release as one of profound significance. “Thank God, today we get to welcome him; it’s the day he was born again,” she said.<\/p>\n

Once released, Alexander is expected to be handed over to the Red Cross before being transferred to an Israeli defense facility in Re’im for medical evaluation. After the initial checkup, he will be flown to Tel Aviv’s Ichilov Hospital for further treatment.<\/p>\n

Amid the emotional wait, his mother, Yael Alexander, was seen boarding an Israeli Air Force helicopter to meet her son. The family, though anxious, remains hopeful for his physical and mental well-being. “We don’t know how he will be. I hope he is safe and well physically and mentally,” Ben Baruch said.<\/p>\n

In a show of gratitude, Alexander’s grandmother indicated that the young man is expected to meet Trump during the former president’s Middle East visit. “I am very happy that he will meet the US president,” Ben Baruch noted.<\/p>\n

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the situation by confirming that fighting would briefly pause to ensure Alexander’s safe return but made it clear that this was not a ceasefire. “Israel has not committed to a ceasefire of any kind,” his office stated, emphasizing that military pressure led to the release.<\/p>\n

For Alexander’s family, his release is seen as a miraculous event marked by faith and prayer. Ben Baruch’s declaration that Trump served as a “messenger for God” highlights the family’s profound relief and spiritual gratitude.<\/p>\n

As Alexander prepares to reunite with his family, his grandmother’s words resonate with a sense of hope and faith, and she is grateful for what she sees as a divinely orchestrated intervention.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In a heartfelt and emotional moment, Varda Ben Baruch, the grandmother of Hamas hostage Edan Alexander, expressed deep gratitude toward former President Donald Trump, calling him a “messenger for God.” Her remarks came just hours before her grandson’s anticipated release by the militant group. “Trump made all the efforts, and he is a good messenger…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":516,"featured_media":27472,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27469","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nGrandmother of Hamas Hostage Credits Trump as 'Messenger for God' Before Grandson's Release<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Varda Ben Baruch calls Trump a "messenger for God" as grandson Edan Alexander, a Hamas hostage, prepares for release in a 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