Auburn Tiger’s men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl put forward a passionate plea for the return of American hostages Edan Alexander of Hamas Captivity in Gaza.
The No. 1-seeded tigers rolled to an 82-70 win over No. 9 Creighton on Saturday, and Pearl started his availability after media with the media by talking about Alexander. The 21-year-old Israeli-American Solider is one of the 59 hostages still in Gaza. More than half of the hostages held by Hamas Terrorists are believed to have died.
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Former President Donald Trump has a photo of Edan Alexander on October 7, 2024 in New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
Hamas said it would release Alexander and the bodies of four hostages, which were held there since October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks if Israel was resumed into a ceasefire agreement.
“I am asked a lot about how this basketball program has become so competitive for the past eight years,” Pearl said. “But for me, I think it was God’s plan to give us this success, success beyond what we deserve. To give us this platform. To give us an opportunity to start this conference short and remind the world that Edan Alexander is still held hostage in Gaza right now. An American held hostage and not enough people in this country know his name.”
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Yael Alexander, the mother of hostage Edan Alexander, speaks during a demonstration in Central Park on the 100th day since October 7 terrorist attacks from Hamas, January 14, 2024, in New York City. (Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images)
Pearl was asked why he felt the need to talk about the hostages.
“October 7 was the worst day since the Holocaust for the Jewish people, and they say they will do it again and again. We have American hostages in Gaza right now, and it’s unacceptable,” Pearl said. “And President Trump called it out and said that if they just release the hostages, the killing would stop. Release the hostages and the killing stops, and it’s up to Hamas.”
Auburn -Head coach Bruce Pearl shouts at his players in the second round of the NCAA tournament against Creighton, Saturday, March 22, 2025, in Lexington, Kentucky. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Pearl has expressed his support to Israel in the past and has routinely condemned Hamas for his actions and anti-Israeli agitators who seem to support the group.
