Israeli hostage Edan Alexander, who had been held captive by Hamas in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, was released on Monday after successful negotiations between the U.S. and the terrorist organization, the Israel Defense Forces said.

Members of the crowd remained cautious until they saw visual confirmation from the Red Cross that Alexander was finally free. A huge crowd formed in Tenafly as early as 5 a.m., with more people filtering in and out as the day progressed.