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President Joe Biden confirmed on Sunday that four-year-old Abigail Mor Edan, an American girl held hostage by Hamas in Gaza, is now free.
President Biden shared the positive development with reporters from Nantucket, where he was spending the Thanksgiving weekend with his family.
“Abigail was among 13 hostages released today from Gaza under the brokered and sustained, though intensive, U.S. diplomacy. She is now safely in Israel. And we continue to press and expect that additional Americans will be released as well,” President Biden stated.
The release of Abigail is part of a larger deal brokered between Israel and Hamas, aiming to secure the freedom of at least 50 Israeli hostages in exchange for a four-day pause in the conflict and the release of numerous Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. Among the 17 hostages released on Sunday were 14 Israelis and three foreign nationals, with Abigail being the first American hostage to be freed.
Abigail, also known as Avigail Idan in some reports, experienced a traumatic event on October 7 when her parents were killed by Hamas attackers. President Biden acknowledged the terrible trauma she endured, mentioning that she witnessed her mother’s death before her father was shot and killed while shielding her from the attackers.
Expressing gratitude and hope, Abigail’s great aunt Liz Hirsh Naftali and cousin Noa Naftali released a statement, saying, “We hoped and prayed today would come. There are no words to express our relief and gratitude that Abigail is safe and coming home. Thank you to President Biden and his dedicated team; thank you to the Qatari government and other informal actors who are involved in securing Abigail’s release and reuniting other hostages with their loved ones. Today’s release proves that it’s possible. We can get all hostages back home.”
Despite initial plans for Abigail and other hostages to cross the border into Egypt and then be transported to Israel, an elderly woman among them needed immediate medical attention, leading to Abigail being airlifted directly to an Israeli hospital.
President Biden emphasized the success of the short-term ceasefire, promising continued personal engagement to see the deal fully implemented and extended. He noted the positive impact on families and expressed hope for additional releases, citing Abigail as proof that diplomatic efforts are working.
