NANTUCKET.- President Joe Biden confirmed Sunday that Abigail Edan, a 4-year-old American girl who was taken hostage by Hamas after her parents were killed, was freed as part of the ceasefire agreement in the war. Israel against Hamas and said he was “safe in Israel.”
“Thank God he’s home,” Biden told reporters. “I would like to be there to hug her.”
She was the first American hostage to be released under the terms of the ceasefire. Biden noted that he had no information about Abigail’s health.
Hamas fighters stormed his kibbutz, Kfar Azza, on October 7 and killed his parents. The little girl ran to the neighbor’s house to take shelter, and the Brodutch family, mother Hagar and her three children, took in Abigail during the assault. The five subsequently disappeared and were later confirmed to have been taken hostage. They were among 200 people taken to the Gaza Strip in the attack that sparked the war. Abigail spent her birthday in captivity.
Biden promises to continue working for the freedom of the kidnapped
Before the ceasefire, the first hostages were released on October 17, Judith and Natalie Raanan, an American and her teenage daughter. His release was seen as a successful test case for negotiating a broader deal, according to U.S. officials.
Along with Abigail, the Brodutch family was among the group ranging from 4 to 84 years old of hostages freed Sunday. Representatives of the Red Cross took the hostages out of the Gaza Strip. Some were delivered directly to Israel, while others were taken to Egypt. The Israeli military said one was airlifted to a hospital.
“They have endured a terrible ordeal,” Biden said, and now they can begin the “long journey to healing.”
Biden noted that negotiations were a day-by-day, hour-by-hour process and said he would continue working until all the hostages were free.
FOUNTAIN: With AP
