President Biden on Sunday hailed the discharge of Avigail Idan, who turned 4 years outdated throughout her seven weeks in Hamas captivity and was the primary American citizen to be freed by the group. The president vowed to maintain working to safe freedom for others in captivity and prolong the pause within the combating.
“Thank God she’s home,” Mr. Biden informed reporters in Nantucket, Mass., the place he has been celebrating Thanksgiving. “I wish I was there to hold her.”
Avigail, whose identify has been rendered as Abigail in American media, is a twin U.S. and Israeli citizen and was seized on Oct. 7 after Hamas fighters killed her mother and father. She was among the many 17 folks held captive who had been turned over on Sunday as a part of a brief cease-fire deal.
Her case turned the main target of widespread worldwide consideration and concern as she turned 4 on Friday. Mr. Biden mentioned Avigail’s mom was killed in entrance of her when Hamas fighters stormed their kibbutz. The youngster then ran to her father, who was shot and killed whereas utilizing his physique to defend her, and she or he then ran to neighbors for assist, Mr. Biden mentioned. The household disappeared and Avigail was taken hostage.
“What she endured is unthinkable,” Mr. Biden mentioned. He added that he didn’t have any rapid details about her situation however mentioned that she was “safely in Israel.”
Liz Hirsh Naftali and Noa Naftali, Avigail’s great-aunt and cousin, mentioned in an announcement on Sunday that “there are no words to express our relief and gratitude” to the United States, Qatari authorities and different “informal actors” who labored to safe the discharge of hostages.
“Today’s release proves that it’s possible,” they wrote. “We can get all the hostages back home. We have to keep pushing.”
About 10 American residents had been unaccounted for and believed to be in Hamas captivity. Asked Sunday in regards to the different American hostages, Mr. Biden mentioned he was hopeful for his or her launch however didn’t have concrete information about them.
Israel and Hamas are midway by a four-day pause in a warfare that started after Hamas assailants massacred about 1,200 folks in Israel on Oct. 7, together with of their houses and at a music pageant, and kidnapped about 240 folks. Among these reported killed had been 36 Americans.
Under the settlement, Hamas is anticipated to return 50 hostages throughout the non permanent cease-fire. Israel will launch 150 Palestinian prisoners, lots of whom had been detained for violent crimes.
Mr. Biden mentioned the truce, which the United States helped dealer with Qatar and Egypt, was not solely ensuing within the launch of hostages but additionally the supply of extra help to civilians in Gaza, with 200 vans of meals, water, medication, gas and cooking fuel arriving every day.
He mentioned he hoped to increase the unique deal so extra captives might be freed and the maintain on combating might proceed. The Israeli authorities has mentioned it is going to prolong the pause sooner or later for each extra 10 hostages freed.
Mr. Biden mentioned he would proceed to work with the leaders of Israel, Egypt and Qatar “to do everything possible” to free the opposite hostages held by Hamas. He is scheduled to talk with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel on Sunday, White House officers mentioned.
“More is needed, but this deal is delivering lifesaving results,” Mr. Biden mentioned. “Critical aid is going in and hostages are coming out. This deal is structured so that it can be extended to keep building on these results. That’s my goal, that’s our goal, to keep this pause going beyond tomorrow so that we can continue to see more hostages come out and surge more humanitarian relief to those in need in Gaza.”
Earlier within the day Jake Sullivan, Mr. Biden’s nationwide safety adviser, sidestepped questions on whether or not the president would impose circumstances to future help to Israel, together with a freeze on Israeli settlements within the West Bank. But he mentioned Mr. Biden was working towards a peace plan that features a two-state answer.
“We believe that this is absolutely a moment for us to be working with everyone in the region,” Mr. Sullivan mentioned. “We do think this is a moment for that kind of diplomacy.”
Mr. Biden referred to as the diplomatic efforts a “day-by-day approach” however mentioned “the proof that this is working, and worth pursuing further, is in every smile and grateful tear we see on the faces of those families that are finally getting back together again. The proof is little Abigail.”
