President Biden welcomed Abigail Edan, a 4-year-old who had been held by Hamas in Gaza and was released last November as part of a hostage deal, to the White House on Wednesday.
During a press briefing, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan expressed his delight regarding the meeting. He emphasized that it served as a poignant reminder to President Biden of the ongoing challenges they face, particularly with regards to the remaining hostages under Hamas’ captivity since the terrorist attacks on Israel in October.
Related posts
Sullivan expressed his joy at the moment, highlighting the safe return of the woman to her family. He emphasized that this incident served as a reminder of the ongoing work and the significance of President’s commitment to secure a cease-fire and negotiate a hostage deal. The ultimate goal is to ensure the safe return of all individuals involved.
Edan and her siblings tragically lost their parents in the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks in Israel. Following the devastating incident, Edan, who holds dual Israeli-U.S. citizenship, became the youngest U.S. citizen to be held hostage by Hamas.
In November, she was one of the hostages who were released from Gaza during a temporary pause in the fighting. At that time, Biden had a conversation with her family.
The U.S. is actively advocating for a temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in order to ensure the safe release of remaining hostages and facilitate the delivery of much-needed humanitarian aid to Gaza. This region has experienced a significant loss of Palestinian lives as a result of Israeli military actions in response to the attacks on October 7th.
According to Israeli officials, there are still over 100 individuals being held in Gaza, with up to six of them being U.S. citizens.
