Hamas releases American girl who turned four in captivity

As part of the deal with Israel to free prisoners in exchange for a ceasefire, Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, has released a four-year old American girl identified as Abigail Edan.

Edan who turned four in captivity, was among the 239 hostages taken when the militants crept into Israel in a coordinated attack, killing around 1,200 people — the largest such attack on Israel since the country’s founding in 1948.

Before being kidnapped and taken to the Gaza Strip, US President Joe Biden said the little girl witnessed the murder of both her parents.

The then three-year-old was at home with her two siblings, aged 10 and 6, when Hamas invaded.

Her mother was killed in front of her, while her father was shot dead as he used his body to shield his daughter, after she ran to him.

The two older children survived because they hid in a closet, where they held out for 14 hours before being rescued while Edan who was initially presumed dead, crawled out from under her father’s body and ran to a neighbour’s house.

The terrorists seized Edan, alongside the family of five who were there and took them to the Gaza Strip with many other civilians.

Last Friday, she turned four while still in captivity.

“What she endured is unthinkable,” Biden added after she was released on Sunday.

She was the first US citizen among the hostages freed in the agreement between Israel and Hamas.

Biden said the child “has been through terrible trauma”, adding that “she is safely ensconced in Israel, but there’s a lot more work to be done”.

Edan’s release comes as the truce between Hamas and Israel enters its fourth, and potentially final day on Monday.

Over the first three days of the truce, Hamas has released a total of 58 hostages, primarily women and children, in exchange for the release of 117 Palestinian prisoners.

Biden said the US will push to extend the pause in fighting, allowing more hostages to be released and aid to reach Gaza.

Egypt and Qatar, lead negotiators for the humanitarian ceasefire, are also pressing for the four-day truce to be extended.

Hamas and Israel have discussed the possibility. Under the terms of the original truce agreement, Hamas needs to release an additional 10 hostages for each additional day of pause in the fighting.