The youngest American taken hostage by Hamas, Abigail Mor Edan, whose 4th birthday was Friday, has been released into Red Cross custody, CNN reported Sunday morning.
She is one of three Americans reportedly released among 17 of Israeli and other nationalities who were handed over on Sunday as part of a four-day ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
The first 13 Hamas-held hostages were handed over on Friday and another 13 were released on Saturday.
A total of 50 Hamas-held hostages were to be released as part of the deal—meaning that with the 17 released Sunday there are seven still slated as part of the deal who remain in custody.
Along with the four-day pause in fighting, which began Friday morning, Israel also agreed to release some 150 Palestinians that it’s holding prisoner and to allow trucks carrying medical supplies and other aid into Gaza.
Hamas took a total of 240 civilians captive during its massive October 7 terror attack on Israel; if all 50 are released as part of the cease-fire agreement, another 190 will remain Hamas’ hostages.
Abigail Edan has a 6-year-old sister and 10-year-old brother, who saw their parents being murdered on October 7, Liz Hirsh Naftali, Edan’s great-aunt, told CNN. They hid in a closet for 14 hours, she said.
During a news conference shortly after noon Eastern Time on Sunday, President Biden said he was “hopeful” that the other Americans being held hostage would be released, but he didn’t have anything firm to tell reporters at that moment
Meanwhile, roughly 8,300 Palestinian prisoners are being held in Israeli jails, according to the Palestinian Commission for Detainees and Ex-Prisoners’ Affairs.
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