President Joe Biden met with 4-year-old Abigail Mor Edan at the White House after she was released from captivity by Hamas, following the militant group’s October 7 attack. Abigail, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, was taken hostage after her parents were killed during the attack. Her mother was shot in front of her, and her father died using his body to shield her. Abigail was held captive for 50 days and turned 4 while in captivity, making her the youngest American hostage to be released.
During the meeting, national security adviser Jake Sullivan mentioned that Abigail’s story serves as a reminder of the Americans and others still held hostage. After her release, her family surrounded her with love and care, and her siblings, who survived by locking themselves in a closet during the attack, were also happy to have her back. President Biden had earlier expressed his relief and gratitude for her release, calling her experience “unthinkable.”
In addition to Abigail’s release, there are other unaccounted American hostages, five of whom are presumed to be alive, all male. Meanwhile, Hamas released a video showing Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an Israeli-American hostage, delivering a statement, which was likely crafted by the group.
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