President Biden met with Abigail Edan, a 4-year-old who was held by Hamas in Gaza and was freed last November as part of a hostage agreement.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told the press the meeting brought happiness, but also served as a reminder to Biden of the remaining work to be done as other hostages are still in the custody of Hamas following the October attacks on Israel.
“This was a joyful occasion because she was able to be returned safely to her family,” Sullivan said. “And I think for the president, the most important thing was it was a reminder of the work still to do and how important it is for him personally and for the government to do all that we can to secure a cease-fire and hostage agreement so that everybody can come home.”
Edan and her siblings’ parents were killed during the October 7 attacks in Israel. Edan was the youngest U.S. citizen who was held captive by Hamas after those attacks. She has dual Israeli-U.S. citizenship.
She was part of the hostages set free in November from Gaza as part of a temporary cessation in hostilities. Biden spoke with her family at that time.
The U.S. is still working to achieve another pause in hostilities between Israel and Hamas to safely release the remaining hostages and to allow for additional humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, where thousands of Palestinians have died during Israeli military actions in response to the October 7 attacks.
Israeli officials have reported that over 100 individuals are still being held in Gaza. Up to six of the hostages are U.S. citizens.
