Youngest U.S. Citizen Held by Hamas Released to Israel
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 turned 4 years old last week, was taken to the Palestinian enclave of Gaza during the deadly rampage on Oct. 7, which claimed the lives of her parents and an estimated 240 others, according to Israeli officials.
Her name had been included in a list of hostages that Hamas had previously announced to release on Sunday, according to Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in an interview with "Face the Nation" moderator Margaret Brennan. However, there were doubts about the release due to the delicate nature of the situation, as multiple sources had indicated to Brennan.
The release of the hostages on Sunday marked the third wave of releases in the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The agreement with Israel included the release of 50 women and children held captive in Gaza, as well as the release of 150 Palestinian women and teenagers imprisoned in Israel. The terms also included a temporary cease-fire agreement to allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza and displaced Palestinians to return to their homes in the northern part of the territory.
The cease-fire was initially set to last four days, with Sunday being the third day. However, Israel expressed willingness to extend the cease-fire 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. The countries of origin for the foreign nationals have not been disclosed.
White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan stated that the U.S. has reason to believe that at least one American will be released on Sunday.
President Biden addressed Abigail's release, stating that she is now in Israel. He acknowledged the trauma she has experienced, as her mother was killed in front of her by Hamas militants and her father was also killed while protecting her during the attack. Abigail sought help from neighbors after the incident.
Abigail's Safe Return
"What she endured is unthinkable," he said.
Abigail's great-aunt, Liz Hirsh Naftali, and her cousin, Noa Naftali, said in a statement Sunday, "We hoped and prayed today would come. There are no words to express our relief and gratitude that Abigail is safe and coming home."
They thanked President Biden and the Qatari government, adding, "Today's release proves that it's possible. We can get all hostages back home. We have to keep pushing."
Liz Hirsh Naftali and Noa Naftali told "CBS Mornings" on Wednesday that the child had been captured along with neighbors from the Kfar Aza kibbutz, where she lived with her parents and two older siblings. The siblings, who are 6 and 10 years old, survived the attack by locking themselves inside a closet and hiding there for 14 hours, Noa Natfali said.
"We thought at the beginning that Abigail had died, but we later found out that she survived. Her father was able to shield her with his body," Noa Naftali said. "She crawled out from underneath him and went over to the neighbors, who took her in, and they were also taken hostage — a mother, a 10-year-old, an 8-year old and a 4-year old who goes to preschool with Abigail."
Liz Hirsh Naftali shared that the family received news a few days later that a witness had seen the neighbor being taken away from the kibbutz with her three children and Abigail during the Hamas attack. "But after that, we didn't receive any more information," she said.
Noa Naftali, speaking on "CBS Mornings," mentioned that if Abigail was among the hostages released, she would live with her aunt, uncle, and grandparents, who were already taking care of her siblings. She stated that the family would be able to provide the children with the love and support they needed after losing their parents.
"She was in charge of that household," said Liz Hirsh Naftali about Abigail. "We know that her return is the only hope for her sister and brother. This is something we keep hearing, that they fully comprehend what happened on October 7th. Yes, they witnessed it. They are 6 and 10 years old. They understand... The one thing they can only hope for, which would bring some closure and allow them to move forward, is Abigail's return."
