President Joe Biden announced Sunday the release by Hamas of a four-year-old American hostage named Abigail.
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“She is free and she is in Israel,” he said in a speech from the US state of Massachusetts.
The child was taken hostage by Hamas on October 7 during its attack on Israel. According to White House Counsel Jake Sullivan, the little girl “saw her parents killed in front of her.”
“She has suffered a terrible trauma,” lamented the American president on Sunday.
According to Israeli authorities, the bloody Hamas attack killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians.
In this attack, according to the same source, about 240 people were kidnapped and taken to the Gaza Strip.
In retaliation, Israel declared war to “annihilate” Hamas and relentlessly shelled the Gaza Strip. According to the latest Hamas government report, 15,000 people have been killed in this enclave since then, including 6,150 children and teenagers under the age of 18.
Under Qatari auspices, Israel and Hamas agreed to a four-day, renewable ceasefire in the fighting and the release of hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners.
President Biden said he would like to see this ceasefire extended.
“It is my goal and our goal to ensure that this pause continues beyond tomorrow so that we can release more hostages and bring more humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip.”