Abigail Mor Edan, the youngest captive of Hamas, was released by the terror group on Sunday. American President Biden confirmed her release and stated that she is now in Israel but has undergone significant trauma. Abigail’s mother was killed in front of her, and her father was also gunned down while attempting to shield his daughter. President Biden described the girl’s experiences as unimaginable.
Hamas released a total of 17 hostages, including 14 Israeli citizens, Abigail, who holds dual Israeli-American citizenship, and three foreign nationals. Additionally, the Qatari Foreign Ministry announced that 39 Palestinians would be released in the hostage swap. The Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister previously confirmed that Edan was among the hostages Hamas planned to release.
Edan was held captive following the October 7 attack in Israel, marking her 4th birthday during her captivity in Gaza. White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan expressed optimism for an American’s release and maintained close contact with Qatar, Egypt, and Israeli officials to negotiate the hostage release deal.
Hamas has released two groups of hostages following a short-term cease-fire agreement brokered by the U.S. and Qatar. Israel will also release Palestinian prisoners under this agreement. According to Sullivan, future extensions for the release of all hostages depend on Hamas’s cooperation in gathering more captives.
The Qatari Prime Minister also addressed the potential for an extension based on Hamas’s ability to locate and secure additional hostages, particularly women and children. However, the decision for an extension remains with the terror organization until the full list of captives is presented.
Contributed reporting from Margaret Brennan and Richard Escobedo, along with Insights from politics reporter Caitlin Yilek.
