First U.S. hostage, four-year-old Abigail Mor Edan, freed by Hamas in Israeli hostage / prisoner exchange
One of the victims who was kidnapped and held for ransom by Hamas during the October 7 attack on Israel is a young U.S. American citizen, Abigail Mor Edan, who after spending almost two months in captivity, was released by her captors yesterday, Sunday, November 26, in connection with the cease-fire and hostage exchange agreement between Israel and the Hamas militant group, according to NBC News. Abigail turned four years old while being held hostage and even more tragically, the little girl’s parents were both killed in their home at the Kfar Aza kibbutz, during the attack by the Hamas militants.
Abigail Mor Edan’s family previously told NBC News’ Lester Holt that she was in her father’s arms when a Hamas gunman shot him and he fell on top of her. Abigail was among 17 hostages freed on the third day of the fragile truce, which has seen Israel release Palestinian prisoners and allow aid into the Gaza Strip … ~ NBC News
President Joe Biden confirmed Abigail’s release and spoke with the child’s family via telephone yesterday. Biden said that the four year old “was safely in Israel” and “Thank God she’s home, I wish I were there to hold her.” Biden added that he hopes more of the U.S. hostages will released soon, according to ABC News.
Abigail, the first U.S. citizen to be released by Hamas, has dual Israeli-U.S. citizenship. Biden also said that he didn’t have any immediate information regarding the child’s condition.
Abigail and the other 16 hostages that were released yesterday compromised the third group of captives to be released during the four-day cease fire between Hamas and Israel, according to CBS News. In two earlier swaps, Hamas released 26 Israelis and 14 Thai laborers and one Filipino, according to NPR. In exchange for Hamas freeing some of their hostages, Israel has freed 78 Palestinian prisoners, all women and minors.
Although Abigail lost her parents in the October 7 attack, she has been reunited and will be able to live with family, including her grandparents and siblings.
Thus far, more than 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians, have died following the initial Hamas attack. “More than 13,300 Palestinians have been killed, roughly two thirds of them women and minors, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza,” according to ABC News.
For more on the story, see the video accompanying this article.
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Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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