Abigail Mor Edan, the youngest U.S. citizen held by Hamas, was among the group of hostages released back to Israel on Sunday, both President Biden and the Israeli military confirmed.
Abigail, who lost her parents in the October 7 attacks by Hamas on Israel, celebrated her fourth birthday last week while being held in Gaza. She was among approximately 240 individuals abducted during the violent incident, as reported by Israeli officials.
Her name had been included in a list of hostages that Hamas had initially indicated would be released on the following Sunday, according to Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who shared this information with “Face the Nation” moderator Margaret Brennan. However, despite this announcement, several sources informed Brennan that the release was uncertain due to the sensitive nature of the situation.
On Sunday, a group of hostages was released, marking the third phase following two earlier releases. These releases were contingent on an agreement with Israel, which involved the liberation of at least 50 women and children held in Gaza, along with approximately 150 Palestinian women and teenagers imprisoned in Israel. The terms also encompassed a temporary cease-fire arrangement, allowing humanitarian aid to enter Gaza and displaced Palestinians to return to their homes in the damaged northern region at their discretion. the group of hostages
The agreed-upon pause in hostilities was set for four days, with Sunday being the third day. Israel has expressed readiness to extend the cease-fire by one day for every 10 additional hostages released by Hamas.
Hamas released 17 hostages on Sunday, including Abigail. Among them, 14 are Israeli citizens, and three are foreign nationals, according to Israeli officials. Abigail, an Israeli-American, holds dual citizenship in both Israel and the U.S.