Eden Alexander’s hometown came out Monday to celebrate his release from Hamas captivity more than 19 months after he was taken hostage in a sneak attack in Israel.

Edan Alexander was snatched from his military base in southern Israel during Hamas' cross-border attack on Oct. 7, 2023, which set off the war in Gaza. His expected release would be the first since Israel shattered an 8-week ceasefire with Hamas in March when it unleashed fierce strikes on Gaza which have killed hundreds.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he’s days away from ordering an all-out escalation of Israel’s war against Hamas, and even the release of more hostages would only pause the campaign to destroy the Iran-backed group.