Abigail Mor Edan, the latest U.S. citizen held by Hamas, was among the group of hostages returned to Israel on Sunday, both President Biden and the Israeli military confirmed.
Abigail, whose parents were killed in Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, turned four in Gaza captivity last week. According to Israeli officials, she was kidnapped along with an estimated 240 others during the deadly rampage and taken to the Palestinian enclave.
Her name appeared on a list of hostages whose release Hamas announced earlier on Sunday, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani told “Face the Nation” host Margaret Brennan. However, multiple sources had told Brennan that no release was certain due to the sensitive nature of the situation.
Abigail Mor Edan, a four-year-old Israeli-American girl kidnapped by Hamas during the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, was among the hostages released Sunday. CBS Mornings / Naftali family
The hostages released on Sunday followed two previous waves of releases that depended on an agreement with Israel that called for the release of at least 50 women and children held captive in Gaza and the release of about 150 Palestinian women and youth detained in Israel. The conditions also included a temporary ceasefire agreement that would allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza and allow displaced Palestinians to return to their homes in the devastated northern part of the territory at their own discretion.
It was agreed that the pause in fighting would last four days – Sunday is the third day – although Israel has said it is prepared to extend the ceasefire by one day for every 10 more hostages released by Hamas.
Seventeen hostages, including Abigail, were released by Hamas on Sunday. Fourteen of them were Israeli citizens and three were foreign nationals, Israeli officials said. Abigail, an Israeli-American citizen, holds citizenship in Israel and the United States
It was not immediately clear which countries the three foreign nationals came from, but White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in a separate “Face the Nation” interview Sunday morning that the U.S. “has reason to believe that the Americans will be released today – to ” At least one American will be released today.
President Biden directly addressed Abigail’s release in a televised address on Sunday.
“She is free and she is in Israel now,” Mr Biden said, adding that Abigail had “gone through a terrible trauma”. The child’s mother was killed in front of her by Hamas militants, before her father was also shot while shielding Abigail from the attack with his body. Abigail then ran to the neighbors to get help, Mr. Biden said.
“What she endured is unimaginable,” he said.
Abigail’s great-aunt Liz Hirsh Naftali and her cousin Noa Naftali said in a statement Sunday: “We hoped and prayed that today would come. There are no words to express our relief and gratitude that Abigail is safe and coming home.”
They thanked President Biden and the Qatari government, adding: “Today’s release proves it is possible. We can bring all the hostages home. We have to keep pushing.”
Liz Hirsh Naftali and Noa Naftali told “CBS Mornings” Wednesday that the child was captured along with neighbors from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, where he lived with his parents and two older siblings. The siblings, ages 6 and 10, survived the attack by locking themselves in a closet and hiding there for 14 hours, Noa Natfali said.
“At first we thought Abigail had died, but later we found out she had survived. Her father was able to protect her with his body,” said Noa Naftali. “She crawled out from under him and went to the neighbors who took her in, and they too were taken hostage – a mother, a ten-year-old, an eight-year-old and a four-year-old who goes to her.” Preschool with Abigail.
Family of three-year-old American hostage reacts to Israel-Hamas release deal 06:13
Liz Hirsh Naftali said the family learned a few days later that a witness had seen the neighbor being led out of the kibbutz with her three children and Abigail during the Hamas attack. “And then we didn’t learn any more information,” she said.
Noa Naftali told “CBS Mornings” that if Abigail was among the released hostages, she would live with her aunt, uncle and grandparents, where her siblings already lived. She said the family can give the children “the love and support they need after the loss of their parents.”
“She ran this house,” Liz Hirsh Naftali said of Abigail. “We know her only hope is for her to come back, for her sister and brother. That’s one of the things we keep hearing, that they know exactly what happened on October 7th. Yes, they experienced it.” . They are 6 and 10. You understand. … The only thing they can hope for that will give them a chance to find closure and move on is that Abigail comes back.”
Israel and Hamas at war
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