President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that 4-year-old American Abigail Mor Edan, who had been held hostage by Hamas in Gaza, has been released and is now safe in Israel. Biden revealed that Abigail was among 13 hostages freed as a result of intense U.S. diplomacy efforts. The release of Abigail and the other hostages marks a significant milestone in the ongoing negotiations between Israel and Hamas.

A total of 17 hostages, including 14 Israelis and three foreign nationals, were released on Sunday, with Abigail being the first American hostage to be freed in the deal brokered between Israel and Hamas. The agreement aims to secure the release of at least 50 of the over 200 Israeli hostages in exchange for a four-day pause in the fighting and the release of dozens of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. Notably, a Russian national was also released by Hamas.

Abigail's parents tragically lost their lives on October 7 during an attack by Hamas. President Biden acknowledged the trauma that the young girl had endured, recounting that she witnessed her mother's death before her father was shot and killed while shielding her from the attackers. The news of Abigail's release has brought relief and gratitude to her family, who expressed their appreciation to President Biden, his team, and the Qatari government for their efforts.

The process of returning the hostages involved planned border crossings into Egypt and subsequent transportation to Israel. However, one of the released hostages, an elderly woman in critical condition, had to be airlifted directly to a hospital in Israel. As for Abigail, she crossed into Israel immediately due to the urgent medical needs of the sick individual.

As part of the agreement, Israel is expected to release 39 Palestinian prisoners on Sunday. Furthermore, another hostage exchange is anticipated on Monday, which is currently the last day of the agreed-upon ceasefire. However, Israel has pledged to extend the pause in fighting for every 10 additional hostages that Hamas agrees to release, a request that President Biden urged for during his announcement.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who visited the Gaza Strip, expressed his determination to return all the hostages. He stated, "We are making every effort to return our hostages, and at the end of the day, we will return every one...We are continuing until the end, until victory. Nothing will stop us." The precise locations he visited within Gaza were not immediately disclosed.

The release of Abigail and the other hostages serves as a testament to the progress made through diplomatic efforts. President Biden emphasized the significance of these reunions, stating that the positive impact could be seen in the smiles and tears of gratitude on the faces of the reunited families. He reaffirmed his commitment to personally engage with Prime Minister Netanyahu to ensure the full implementation of the deal and to explore the possibility of extending it.

As Abigail embraces her newfound freedom, the international community will closely monitor the ongoing negotiations to secure the release of all remaining hostages. The story of Abigail Mor Edan serves as a reminder of the human toll of conflicts and the importance of diplomatic efforts to bring about peace and reunite families torn apart by violence.