Four-year-old Israeli-American girl reportedly among hostages released

A four-year-old Israeli American girl who was among three US hostages held by Hamas was reportedly released Sunday.

Citing an unnamed source, CNN reported Sunday morning that the girl – Abigail Mor Edan – was in the hands of Red Cross officials. Barak Ravid, a reporter for Axios, reported Abigail and another unnamed American hostage were among the captives released Sunday, according to the office of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Associated Press, meanwhile, reported that 17 more hostages – including 14 Israelis – were freed in an additional set of releases under a four-day ceasefire deal.

The hostages were transferred out of Gaza by Red Cross representatives, some leaving directly to Israel with others leaving through Egypt. One hostage was airlifted directly to an Israeli hospital.

Sunday marked the first time a US national was released as part of the temporary ceasefire and hostage release agreement.

Earlier Sunday, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan had told NBC’s Meet the Press that two women and Abigail could be released under the hostage deal that includes the release of women and children.

“We have reason to believe one of those Americans will be released today,” Sullivan said.

He did not specify the reason for that belief. But Sullivan said the White House is closely informed and following the unfolding events with caution “because we’re dealing with a terrorist group here”.

He was asked if one of the hostages released Sunday would be Abigail , whose parents were both killed in Hamas’s 7 October terrorist attack on Israel.

“We are hopeful that Abigail will be released,” added Sullivan. “We have a sense of who it is, but I just am not in a position to confirm it because we want to make sure the release goes off as indicated, as we expect.”

As part of the deal looming over Sunday’s releases, a total of at least 50 hostages held by Hamas – all women and children who have been captive for 46 days – are expected to be released in exchange for about 150 Palestinian women and children prisoners held in Israel.

“We know that they were taken, and the next thing we learned is that they’re hostages. We’re living in the dark,” Liz Hirsh Naftali, Abigail’s great-aunt in the US told CBS News last week.

“They are literally in the dark. And we in America, Israeli families, have very little information and are also in the dark.”

Thirteen Israeli hostages and four Thailand nationals were released Saturday. All 41 foreign nationals released by Hamas so far have been reported to be in stable condition by medical professionals.