Biden announces release of 4-year-old American hostage held by Hamas

President Joe Biden confirmed that a 4-year-old American-Israeli dual citizen was among 13 hostages released by Hamas on Sunday. “Two days ago, one of our American fellow citizens, a little girl named Abigail, was celebrating her fourth birthday. She spent her birthday held hostage by Hamas. Today, she is free and Jill and I, together with many Americans, are praying that she will be alright. She’s safe and in Israel,” said President Biden. The girl, Abigail Edan, appears to be the first U.S. citizen released by Hamas since October. “What she endured is unthinkable. Abigail was among 13 hostages released today from Gaza under the brokered and sustained through intensive U.S. diplomacy. She’s now safe in Israel. And we continue to press and expect for additional Americans will be released as well,” the president added in remarks at the White House. “And we will not stop working until every hostage is returned to their loved ones.”

Biden administration adviser Jake Sullivan added that “she turned 4 just two days ago. She has been through hell. She had her parents killed right in front of her and has been held hostage for the last several weeks.”

The release of the girl comes after a series of hostage releases since Friday amid a ceasefire between the Israeli military and Hamas. In all, nine children ages 17 and younger were on the list, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Sunday.

President Biden also said Sunday that his administration is aiming to extend the ceasefire to continue the release of more hostages. “For weeks, I’ve been advocating the pause in the fighting for two purposes: to increase the assistance getting in to the Gaza civilians who need help, and to facilitate the release of hostages,” he said.

Ahead of the latest release, Mr. Netanyahu said that “we are making every effort to return our hostages, and at the end of the day, we will return every one.”

More than 13,300 Palestinians have been killed, roughly two-thirds of them women and minors, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza, although that figure could not be independently verified. The war has claimed the lives of more than 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians killed by Hamas in the initial attack.

Israel was to free 39 Palestinian prisoners later Sunday as part of the deal. A fourth exchange is expected on Monday—the last day of the ceasefire, during which a total of 50 hostages and 150 Palestinian prisoners are to be freed.

The ceasefire was brokered by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States. Israel has said the truce can be extended by an extra day for every additional 10 hostages freed but has vowed to quickly resume its offensive once it ends. Mr. Sullivan said Sunday the United States is working “with all sides on the possibility that this deal gets extended to additional hostages beyond the initial 50.”

Speaking to CNN, Mr. Sullivan said that it is not clear whether the other U.S. citizens who were captured by Hamas are still alive. “We cannot say for certain whether all three of them are still alive. But we do know this: We have reason to believe that today, one American will be released,” he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.