- One American is expected to be released today after no American was released in the first two rounds
- Abigail Mor Edan, a four-year-old who celebrated her birthday in captivity, is the only name confirmed so far
Hamas will release at least one American hostage today, marking the first time American citizens have been released since the start of the ceasefire with Israel.
The name of the hostage expected to be released has not been released. Two American women and four-year-old Abigail Mor Edan are among those held by Hamas.
National security adviser Jake Sullivan said there is “reason to believe” someone will be released on Sunday.
“Until we see her safely out of Gaza into the hands of the authorities and ultimately into the hands of her family, we won’t know for sure,” Sullivan said, “but we have reason to believe that someone will be captured today.” released.’
The terror group has been holding hostages since the surprise attack on Israel on October 7, which killed more than 1,200 Israelis. More than 13,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli counter-offensive.
Edan, an Israeli-American girl whose parents were killed in the attack, is one of the hostages. Dozens of other hostages were released Friday and Saturday, but so far no American is among those released.
On Friday, President Joe Biden confirmed that a little girl named Abigail Mor Edan and two American women are being held hostage by Hamas.
Abigail, 4, lost her parents in a Hamas attack on her kibbutz on October 7
Hostages were released on Friday and Saturday, most recently a group of thirteen Israelis. No Americans have been released
Edan celebrated her fourth birthday in captivity just two days ago. She was kidnapped when militants stormed her kibbutz in southern Israel and shot her parents Roy Edan, 43, and Smadar Edan, 40.
Abigail’s siblings, aged ten and six, survived after hiding in the family home.
State Department officials have yet to confirm the names of the other two women believed to be being held hostage.
“All of these hostages have been through a terrible ordeal, and this is the beginning of a long journey of healing for them,” Biden said in a speech from Nantucket, Massachusetts, where he was celebrating Thanksgiving.
Earlier that day, the president was briefed several times by his national security team on the latest developments regarding the release of hostages from Gaza.
“This morning I engaged with my team as we began the first difficult days of implementing this deal,” Biden said. “It’s just a start, but so far so good.”
Abigail celebrated her fourth birthday in captivity on November 24
“All of these hostages have been through a terrible ordeal, and this is the beginning of a long journey of healing for them,” President Joe Biden said Friday.
He noted that the first group of hostages included “an elderly woman, a grandmother and mothers with their young children, some under the age of six.”
On Saturday, a dispute over the delivery of aid to Gaza delayed the release of thirteen Israelis by several hours.
Two Americans, a mother and daughter from Illinois, were released last month.
Judith and Natalie Raanan, who have dual American-Israeli citizenship, were kkidnapped together from Nahal Oz.
She were transferred to the Red Cross on October 20 before being passed on to Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked his government on Tuesday to accept a deal under which Hamas would release hostages in exchange for a multi-day truce.
The deal was brokered by Qatar, the US and Egypt.