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A three-year-old girl is among three American hostages expected to be released in the landmark deal struck between Israel and Hamas, with the little girl’s family clinging onto hopes that she will be home for her fourth birthday on Friday.
The Israeli government approved a truce agreement – brokered by the US and Qatar – on Wednesday for the release of hostages kidnapped by Hamas in the 7 October attack on Israel which left 1,200 dead.
Under the terms of the deal, 50 hostages – many of them women and children – will be freed by Hamas in exchange for a four-day pause in Israel’s air and ground campaign in Gaza.
An unknown number of Palestinian women and children held in Israeli prisons will also be released as part of the agreement,The Independent has learned.
National Security Council officials told reporters in a briefing call on Tuesday that three American citizens are expected to be among the 50 hostages released.
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These include two unnamed American women and three-year-old Abigail Edan.
Abigail was kidnapped during Hamas’ surprise 7 October attack when militants stormed into her kibbutz in southern Israel and slaughtered her parents Roy Edan, 43, and Smadar Edan, 40.
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Their two other children – aged 10 and six – survived after hiding for hours inside the family home.
For the last six weeks, little Abigail has been held captive in Gaza with her family desperately begging for her safe return.
Abigail Edan is shown in this family hand out photo
(AP)
NSC coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa Brett McGurk confirmed that the little girl – who will turn four years old on 24 November – is expected to be among the 50 hostages released. US officials believe around 10 Americans are being held hostage.
“For the 10 unaccounted for Americans we have one child, a three-year-old girl named Abigail – I actually think her birthday, I think she’ll be four on November 24 – and we have two women,” he said.
“So those are the three that would be in this category.”
He added that this is what officials hope to be the “first phase of the deal”.
“So we have three of the missing unaccounted for Americans, we have three in that category, including the young girl whose parents were killed on October 7, just have an absolutely horrific story, and I can’t even imagine the state of a three-year-old girl in this situation, but that is what that’s what we anticipate,” he said.
Now, the little girl’s family is desperately hoping that the deal is honoured by Hamas militants and that she will be released in time for her fourth birthday.
Elizabeth Naftali, Abigail’s great aunt who lives in Los Angeles, spoke to CNN as news of the deal broke saying she is “hopeful” that the family will be reunited soon.
“Well I am hopeful, our family is hopeful and it’s been 45 days since Abigail was abducted, taken to Gaza,” she said.
“45 days ago, her mother and father were murdered by Hamas terrorists, this little three-year-old is somewhere in Gaza. I hope she is with the mother that was taking care of her at that time with her own three kids.
“And I hope that Abigail is being taken care of and left, and this deal will follow through and these hostages, these children, will be back home with their families in the next couple of days.”
Ms Naftali said the last 45 days had been “excruciating” for the family.
“It’s excruciating… we have spent the last seven weeks, seven weeks, worrying, wondering, praying, hoping,” she said.
“Abigail has a sister who is six, a brother who is 10, these two children saw their parents both be murdered. They spent 14 hours in a closet on the 7th of October, hiding.
“The one thing that we all hold onto is that hope that Abigail comes home, she comes home by Friday. Friday is her fourth birthday and there’s nobody that is giving up hope, it’s just that we actually need to see Abigail come out then we will be able to believe it.”
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1/ 2Family hopes girl held hostage by Hamas will be home for 4th birthday
Family hopes girl held hostage by Hamas will be home for 4th birthday
Abigail Edan is shown in this family hand out photo
AP
Family hopes girl held hostage by Hamas will be home for 4th birthday
Abigail Edan is shown in this family hand out photo
AP
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