American hostage, 4, freed after her parents were killed by Hamas in kidnapping
A four-year-old American hostage has been released as part of a landmark hostage swap deal between Israel and Hamas.
Abigail Edan was kidnapped during Hamas’ attacks on southern Israel on October 7, after the militants raided her kibbutz and killed her parents, Roy Edan, 43, and Smadar Edan, 40. For seven weeks she has been held captive in Gaza as her family plead for her safe return.
President Biden confirmed the release of Abigail days after her fourth birthday. He said she is now “safely in Israel.” He added: “We will not stop working until every hostage is returned to their loved ones."
The girl was returned as part of a truce agreement agreed between Israel and Hamas, with the US, Qatar and Egypt mediating. Over four days the deal will see 50 hostages, mostly women and children, freed by Hamas in exchange for a four-day pause in Israel’s ongoing ground invasion and bombardment of Gaza, which has so far claimed over 14,000 Palestinian lives.
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Abigail's parents were tragically slaughtered on October 7 - but her siblings survived (NBC News)President Biden said Abigail "spent her birthday... and at least 50 days before that held hostage by Hamas".
"Today she's free, and Jilly and I, together with so many Americans, are praying for the fact that she is going to be alright," he added. He also said she has been through a "terrible trauma."
"What she endured is unthinkable," he says.
Around 150 Palestinian women and children are also set to be released from prisons over the four days if all goes to plan. So far 26 Israeli hostages - all women and children - have been freed as part of the Qatari brokered deal. 78 Palestinian prisoners have also been released from Israeli jails since Friday when the deal started.
US President Joe Biden has confirmed the prisoner release (SKY NEWS)The US National Security Council confirmed reports on Tuesday that three American citizens are set to be included in the hostage swap, including two unnamed Americans and Abigail. Abigail has two siblings waiting for her outside, aged 10 and six, who survived by hiding in their family home for hours - while Hamas killed 1,200 Israelis and took 240 hostages.
“Well I am hopeful, our family is hopeful and it’s been 45 days since Abigail was abducted, taken to Gaza,” said Abigail’s great aunt, Los Angeles resident Elizabeth Naftali. “45 days ago, her mother and father were murdered by Hamas terrorists, this little three-year-old is somewhere in Gaza.
Abigail was taken from her home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza on October 7 - and has spent seven weeks in Gaza“I hope she is with the mother that was taking care of her at that time with her own three kids. And I hope that Abigail is being taken care of and left, and this deal will follow through and these hostages, these children, will be back home with their families in the next couple of days,” she continued to CNN.
She said the ordeal had been “excruciating” - and that they won’t believe she is free until they see her.. “It’s excruciating… we have spent the last seven weeks, seven weeks, worrying, wondering, praying, hoping. Abigail has a sister who is six, a brother who is 10, these two children saw their parents both be murdered. They spent 14 hours in a closet on 7th October, hiding.
Abigail's grandfather sits at the grave of his son and daughter-in-law (AP)“The one thing that we all hold onto is that hope that Abigail comes home, she comes home by Friday. Friday is her fourth birthday and there’s nobody that is giving up hope, it’s just that we actually need to see Abigail come out then we will be able to believe it."
US officials believe around 10 Americans are being held captive in Gaza, meaning there are now eight remaining. “So we have three of the missing unaccounted for Americans, we have three in that category, including the young girl whose parents were killed on October 7 – just an absolutely horrific story. And I can’t even imagine the state of a three-year-old girl in this situation, but that is what we anticipate,” he said.
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The Israeli government has agreed that an extension of the truce is possible, (SKY NEWS)The Israeli government has agreed that an extension of the truce is possible, on the condition that 10 additional hostages are released every day there is a pause in the fighting. President Joe Biden thanked Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar and President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt for their “critical leadership” in reaching the deal.
The young orphan has been released today (Tal Edan via AP)“And I appreciate the commitment that Prime Minister Netanyahu and his government have made in supporting an extended pause to ensure this deal can be fully carried out and to ensure the provision of additional humanitarian assistance to alleviate the suffering of innocent Palestinian families in Gaza,” he said via a White House statement.
“I look forward to speaking with each of these leaders and staying in close contact as we work to ensure this deal is carried through in its entirety. It is important that all aspects of this deal be fully implemented. As President, I have no higher priority than ensuring the safety of Americans held hostage around the world.”
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