In a major development, Abigail Mor Edan, the youngest U.S. citizen held by Hamas, was released along with a group of hostages back to Israel on Sunday. The release was confirmed by both President Biden and the Israeli military. Abigail, who turned 4 years old last week, had been held captive in Gaza since October 7 when Hamas launched a deadly attack on Israel. Her parents were tragically killed during the attack.

According to Israeli officials, Abigail was kidnapped along with approximately 240 others during the rampage. Her name appeared on a list of hostages that Hamas had previously announced would be released on Sunday, as revealed by Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani during an interview with "Face the Nation" moderator Margaret Brennan. However, there were doubts about the certainty of the release due to the delicate nature of the situation, as multiple sources had indicated to Brennan.

The release of Abigail and the other hostages on Sunday followed two previous waves of releases that were part of a deal between Israel and Hamas. The terms of the deal included the release of at least 50 women and children held captive in Gaza, as well as the release of about 150 Palestinian women and teenagers imprisoned in Israel. Additionally, a temporary cease-fire agreement was reached, allowing humanitarian aid to enter Gaza and displaced Palestinians to return to their homes in the northern part of the territory at their discretion. The cease-fire was set to last for four days, with Sunday being the third day. However, Israel expressed willingness to extend the cease-fire for one day for every 10 additional hostages released by Hamas.

Seventeen hostages, including Abigail, were released by Hamas on Sunday. Out of the 17, 14 are Israeli citizens and three are foreign nationals, according to Israeli officials. Abigail, who holds both Israeli and American citizenship, is among those who were freed. The countries of origin of the three foreign nationals have not been immediately disclosed. However, White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan stated during a separate interview on "Face the Nation" that the U.S. had reason to believe that at least one American hostage would be released on Sunday.

President Biden directly addressed the release of Abigail in televised remarks, expressing relief that she was now free and in Israel. He acknowledged the trauma she had endured, stating, "What she endured is unthinkable." Abigail's great-aunt, Liz Hirsh Naftali, and her cousin, Noa Naftali, released a statement expressing their relief and gratitude that Abigail was safe and coming home. They thanked President Biden and the Qatari government for their efforts in securing the release, and emphasized the importance of continuing to work towards bringing all the hostages back home.

The family of Abigail had been living in the Kfar Aza kibbutz, where she was captured along with her neighbors during the Hamas attack. Abigail's siblings, aged 6 and 10, survived the attack by hiding in a closet for 14 hours. Noa Naftali, Abigail's cousin, recounted the horrifying ordeal and how Abigail's father sacrificed himself to shield her from the militants. Abigail managed to escape and sought help from her neighbors, who were also taken hostage. The family had initially believed that Abigail did not survive, but they later received information that she had been seen being taken away during the attack.

Abigail will now be living with her aunt, uncle, and grandparents, with whom her siblings had already been staying. The family expressed their determination to provide the children with the love and support they need after losing their parents. Liz Hirsh Naftali emphasized that Abigail's return was the one hope that would bring closure and allow the family to move forward.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan expressed cautious optimism that an American hostage would be among those released by Hamas on Sunday. However, he emphasized the need for verification and stated that the U.S. could not immediately trust a terrorist group. Sullivan confirmed that the White House was in close contact with authorities in Qatar and Egypt, who had helped broker the hostage release deal, as well as Israeli officials. He reiterated the determination to bring all the hostages home and stated that the extension of the temporary truce depended on Hamas.