Auburn's Bruce Pearl suggests God inspired him to speak out about American held hostage by Hamas

Bruce Pearl said Monday helium was thanking God for the blessing helium and the Auburn Tigers men’s hoops squad received erstwhile helium thought of the thought of speaking up for Edan Alexander – an Israeli-American held hostage by Hamas terrorists successful Gaza.

Pearl went viral connected Saturday nighttime erstwhile helium spoke retired during the team’s postgame property league pursuing a triumph against Creighton to beforehand to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

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Auburn caput manager Bruce Pearl speaks with the media during NCAA Tournament First Round Practice astatine Rupp Arena successful Lexington, Kentucky, connected March 19, 2025. (Aaron Doster-Imagn Images)

He explained wherefore helium decided to talk retired during an quality connected "Fox & Friends."

"I was going to spell to the property league and speech conscionable astir the game, but I was walking down the hallway with my players and it came to me," helium said. "I was thanking God for the blessings that we've had. And successful immoderate ways, helium spoke to me. He said, ‘remember wherever you came from. Take vantage of this opportunity.’ 

"So, I asked the guys, ‘Guys, if it's OK if I bring up successful Edan Alexander's name. The lone American that we judge is inactive alive, held hostage.’ They said, ‘Coach, there's an American held hostage. We cognize however overmuch you attraction astir it. Absolutely. Mention his name.’"

Pearl explained that helium believed Jewish radical successful the United States are the soundless majority, and it breaks their hearts to spot protests successful favour of Hamas.

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Then-former President Donald Trump is seen posing with a photograph of Edan Alexander connected Oct. 7, 2024 successful New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

"It breaks the hearts of the Israelis erstwhile they spot the protests successful our state and radical supporting Hamas and supporting this terrorism," helium said. "We are truthful adjacent to bid successful the Middle East with immoderate fantastic Arab nations that privation to enactment the Abraham Accords. But there's a conception of the colonisation that, since Israel's existence, has wanted the Jews to beryllium dormant from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River and calling for an intifada. Well, that's conscionable a telephone for unit and the decease to Jews. And we are a soundless bulk successful this country. 

"And so, I conscionable consciousness similar truthful overmuch of our occurrence astatine Auburn has been due to the fact that we commune first. We convey God for, you know, for the blessings. And, and I'm grateful to beryllium a citizen's state and beryllium Jewish. We got to telephone retired the quality betwixt this bully and this evil."

Alexander, a 21-year-old Israeli-American solider, is 1 of the 59 hostages inactive successful Gaza. More than fractional of the hostages being held by Hamas terrorists are believed to beryllium dead.

Hamas said it would merchandise Alexander and the bodies of 4 hostages held determination since its Oct. 7, 2023 panic onslaught if Israel recommitted to a ceasefire agreement.

"I get asked a batch however this hoops programme has go truthful competitory implicit the past 8 years," Pearl said connected Saturday. "But for me, I judge it was God’s program to springiness america this success, occurrence beyond what we deserve. To springiness america this platform. To springiness america an accidental to commencement this league concisely and punctual the satellite that Edan Alexander is inactive held hostage successful Gaza close now. An American held hostage and not capable radical successful this state cognize his name."

Auburn Tigers caput manager Bruce Pearl calls to his squad during the archetypal fractional against the Alabama State Hornets successful the archetypal circular of the NCAA Tournament astatine Rupp Arena successful Lexington, Kentucky, connected March 20, 2025. (Jordan Prather-Imagn Images)

Pearl was asked wherefore helium felt the request to speak out about the hostages.

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"Oct. 7 was the worst time since the Holocaust for the Jewish people, and they accidental they privation to bash it again and again and again. We person American hostages successful Gaza close now, and it’s unacceptable," Pearl said. "And President Trump called it out, and said if they conscionable escaped the hostages, the sidesplitting would stop. Free the hostages, and the sidesplitting volition stop, and that’s up to Hamas."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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