Biden meets 4-year-old Abigail Mor Edan, the youngest American hostage released by Hamas

Biden meets 4-year-old Abigail Mor Edan, the youngest American hostage released by Hamas

Hamas says 40 hostages can’t be located

Safety concerns for Gaza aid workers, Israel says Hamas can’t locate 40 hostages

03:02

Washington — President Biden on Wednesday met 4-year-old Abigail Mor Edan, an American girl who was taken hostage by Hamas after both her parents were killed in the group’s Oct. 7 attack. 

The president met with Abigail at the White House, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said. Her parents were killed by militants when she was kidnapped. Her mother was shot in front of her and her father was gunned down using his body to shield her. 

A dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, Abigail turned 4 in captivity. She was held by the Gaza-based militant group for 50 days and was the youngest American hostage to be released.

release in November, her aunt told CBS News the family was overjoyed to have her back, and was surrounding her “with love and care.” Abigail’s siblings, who were 6 and 10 years old at the time of the attack, survived by locking themselves in a closet, according to her family. 

The president has called what Abigail endured “unthinkable.” 

“Thank God she’s home,” Mr. Biden told reporters after the little girl was released. “I wish I were there to hold her.”

Hamas — long designated a terrorist group by the U.S. and Israel — released a video Wednesday that appeared to show Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an Israeli-American hostage, delivering a long statement clearly crafted by the group.

There are five unaccounted American hostages who are presumed to be living, according to a U.S. official. All five are male.

Margaret Brennan contributed to this report.

More

More

Source: cbsnews.com