Celebrity chef Eyal Shani cooks a meal for former hostage Edan Alexander while in the hospital

Alexander was returned to Israel in early May, with his homecoming marking the release of the last living American hostage in Gaza.

 Former hostage Edan Alexander and Israeli chef Eyal Shani on May 22, 2025. (photo credit: SCREENSHOT/X/STAGEONEVC/VIA SECTION 27A OF THE COPYRIGHT ACT)
Former hostage Edan Alexander and Israeli chef Eyal Shani on May 22, 2025.
(photo credit: SCREENSHOT/X/STAGEONEVC/VIA SECTION 27A OF THE COPYRIGHT ACT)

Israeli chef Eyal Shani visited Israeli-American former hostage Edan Alexander at the hospital on Thursday, where the chef cooked Alexander a meal, according to posts on social media.

Alexander was returned to Israeli territory on May 12, after 584 days in Hamas captivity. His arrival was announced by the Prime Minister's Office in a statement, saying that it would assist him "in his reintegration and support him and his family."

His homecoming marked the release of the last living American hostage in Gaza.

Alexander also met with former Shin Bet Chief Ronen Bar last week, with the former official offering his apologies that Israel had failed to secure his release. 

"I want to apologize to you for falling into captivity also because of us, and for the fact that you were released thanks to Witkoff and not thanks to us," Bar reportedly told the freed hostage.

 A photograph of hostage Edan Alexander, outside a Jewish community center in Alexander’s home town of Tenafly, New Jersey, US. December 14, 2024.  (credit: REUTERS/Stephani Spindel)
A photograph of hostage Edan Alexander, outside a Jewish community center in Alexander’s home town of Tenafly, New Jersey, US. December 14, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/Stephani Spindel)

The two also discussed Alexander's time under Hamas captivity, the trauma he experienced on October 7, and his worry for the remaining hostages.

Speaking with N12, Alexander described his captivity as "a year of hell," adding that he was forced to drink seawater, given only dirty bread to eat, and lost 20 kilograms in weight.

Alexander was discharged from Sourasky Medical Center on Friday Morning, The Jerusalem Post confirmed.

Eyal Shani runs several US-based restaurants

The celebrity chef is behind the kosher fast-casual restaurant chain Miznon in New York's Times Square, one of Shani’s four Miznon restaurants in Manhattan.

Shani also operates the Hasalon restaurant in Miami, which was the subject of news in 2023, when guests alleged that the management forcefully prohibited them from waving an Israeli flag. During the incident, the restaurant staff called the police, leading to the confiscation of the flags.

Corinne Baum contributed to this report.