A three-year-old girl is among three American hostages expected to be released in the landmark deal struck between Israel and Hamas, with the little girl’s family clinging onto hopes that she will be home for her fourth birthday on Friday.
The Israeli government approved a truce agreement – brokered by the US, Qatar and Egypt – on Wednesday to secure the release of hostages kidnapped by Hamas in the 7 October attacks on Israel which left 1,400 Israelis dead.
Under the terms of the deal, 50 hostages – many of them women and children – would be freed by Hamas in exchange for a four-day pause in Israel’s air and ground campaign in Gaza.
An unknown number of Palestinian women and children held in Israeli prisons will also be released as part of the agreement,The Independent has learned.
US National Security Council officials told reporters in a briefing call on Tuesday that three American citizens are expected to be among the 50 hostages released.
These include two unnamed American women and three-year-old Abigail Edan.
Abigail was kidnapped during Hamas’ surprise 7 October attack when militants stormed into her kibbutz in southern Israel and slaughtered her parents Roy Edan, 43, and Smadar Edan, 40.
The couple’s two other children – aged 10 and six – survived after hiding for hours inside the family home.
For the last seven weeks, little Abigail has been held captive in Gaza with her family desperately begging for her safe return.
Abigail Edan is shown in this family hand out photo— (AP)
A senior administration official confirmed that the little girl – who will turn four years old on 24 November – is expected to be among the 50 hostages released. US officials believe around 10 Americans are currently being held captive in Gaza.
“For the 10 unaccounted for Americans we have one child, a three-year-old girl named Abigail – I actually think her birthday, I think she’ll be four on November 24 – and we have two women,” said the official.
“So those are the three that would be in this category.”
He added that this is what officials hope to be the “first phase of the deal” as the Biden administration continues to work to release all American hostages.
“So we have three of the missing unaccounted for Americans, we have three in that category, including the young girl whose parents were killed on October 7 – just an absolutely horrific story. And I can’t even imagine the state of a three-year-old girl in this situation, but that is what we anticipate,” he said.
Now, the little girl’s family is desperately hoping that the deal is honoured by Hamas militants and that she will be released in time for her fourth birthday.
Elizabeth Naftali, Abigail’s great aunt who lives in Los Angeles, spoke to CNN as news of the deal broke saying that she is staying “hopeful” that the family will be reunited soon.
“Well I am hopeful, our family is hopeful and it’s been 45 days since Abigail was abducted, taken to Gaza,” she said.
“45 days ago, her mother and father were murdered by Hamas terrorists, this little three-year-old is somewhere in Gaza. I hope she is with the mother that was taking care of her at that time with her own three kids.
“And I hope that Abigail is being taken care of and left, and this deal will follow through and these hostages, these children, will be back home with their families in the next couple of days.”
Ms Naftali said the last 45 days had been “excruciating” for the family.
“It’s excruciating… we have spent the last seven weeks, seven weeks, worrying, wondering, praying, hoping,” she said.
“Abigail has a sister who is six, a brother who is 10, these two children saw their parents both be murdered. They spent 14 hours in a closet on 7th October, hiding.
A woman plasters photos of Israelis missing and held captive in Gaza, in Tel Aviv, Israel— (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
“The one thing that we all hold onto is that hope that Abigail comes home, she comes home by Friday. Friday is her fourth birthday and there’s nobody that is giving up hope, it’s just that we actually need to see Abigail come out then we will be able to believe it.”
The release of the group of hostages is expected to begin on Thursday morning, according to Israeli media, a senior Hamas official and Egypt’s state-run Qahera TV.
Following the release of the first 50, there are hopes that additonal hostages will also walk free – with around 240 people believed to have been taken captive back on 7 October.
The Israeli government said that an extension of the truce agreement is possible, consisting of an additional 10 hostages being released for every additional day of a pause on fighting in Gaza.
President Joe Biden celebrated the deal and thanked Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar and President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt for “their critical leadership and partnership” in reaching it.
“And I appreciate the commitment that Prime Minister Netanyahu and his government have made in supporting an extended pause to ensure this deal can be fully carried out and to ensure the provision of additional humanitarian assistance to alleviate the suffering of innocent Palestinian families in Gaza,” he said in a statement released by the White House.
“I look forward to speaking with each of these leaders and staying in close contact as we work to ensure this deal is carried through in its entirety. It is important that all aspects of this deal be fully implemented.
Mr Biden, who travelled to Israel to meet with Mr Netanyahu last month, continued: “As President, I have no higher priority than ensuring the safety of Americans held hostage around the world.
Israeli soldiers operate in a location given as Gaza, amid the ongoing ground operation of the Israeli army— (via REUTERS)
“That’s why – from the earliest moments of Hamas’s brutal assault – my national security team and I have worked closely with regional partners to do everything possible to secure the release of our fellow citizens.”
He added: “Today’s deal is a testament to the tireless diplomacy and determination of many dedicated individuals across the United States Government to bring Americans home. We saw the first results of that effort in late October, when two Americans were reunited with their loved ones. Today’s deal should bring home additional American hostages, and I will not stop until they are all released.”
Only four hostages have so far been released by Hamas militants in the seven weeks since they were kidnapped in Israel and taken into Gaza.
On 20 October, an American mother and daughter, Judith and Natalie Raanan, were the first to be released.
Days later, two elderly Israeli women, Nurit Cooper, 79, and Yocheved Lifschitz, 85, were also freed.
