Auburn's Bruce Pearl Calls for Release of Edan Alexander from Hamas Captivity

Auburn Tigers men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl used his postgame platform to make a heartfelt plea for the release of American hostage Edan Alexander, who remains in Hamas captivity in Gaza. Pearl’s emotional appeal came after his team, the No. 1-seeded Tigers, secured an 82-70 win over No. 9 Creighton on Saturday.

Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old Israeli-American soldier, is one of 59 hostages still being held by Hamas. Tragically, reports suggest that more than half of the hostages taken by the group since its October 7 terror attack are believed to have died.

Hamas has stated that it would release Alexander, along with the bodies of four other hostages, if Israel recommits to a ceasefire agreement. The stakes couldn’t be higher, and Pearl’s call for Alexander’s freedom adds a deeply human dimension to the geopolitical crisis.

"I get asked a lot how this basketball program has become so competitive over the last eight years," Pearl shared during his postgame remarks. "But for me, I believe 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 briefly 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."

Pearl, who has been an outspoken supporter of Israel in the past, didn’t shy away from addressing the broader implications of the hostage situation. "Oct. 7 was the worst day since the Holocaust for the Jewish people, and they say they want to do it again and again and again," he said. "We have American hostages in Gaza right now, and it’s unacceptable. And President Trump called it out, and said if they just free the hostages, the killing would stop. Free the hostages, and the killing will stop, and that’s up to Hamas."

Historically, Pearl has not hesitated to criticize Hamas and those who seem to support its actions. His comments serve as a reminder of the ongoing human toll of the Israel-Gaza conflict and the urgency of efforts to secure the release of hostages like Alexander.