Four-year-old girl among those released in Israel-Gaza hostage situation

A four-year-old girl, Avigail Idan, who holds dual Israeli-American citizenship, was one of the 17 hostages released by Hamas on Sunday. Avigail was taken hostage by Hamas when she was just three years old during an attack in southern Israel. Tragically, her parents were killed during the incident. Avigail celebrated her fourth birthday while being held captive. President Joe Biden acknowledged the trauma that she has been through and expressed his hope that she will recover with the support and care of her loved ones. The president attributed the successful release of the hostages to intense US diplomacy and expressed optimism about the potential release of more American hostages in the upcoming days. Out of the 17 hostages, 14 were Israelis and three were Thai nationals. Among the Israeli hostages, nine were children. Avigail managed to escape from the house where she was being held and found refuge with her neighbors, the Brodutch family. However, they were also abducted by Hamas. Fortunately, some members of the Brodutch family, including Avigail, were released. The other released hostages included individuals from different backgrounds and age groups who were abducted from their homes during the attack. At the same time, Israel's prison service confirmed the release of 39 Palestinian prisoners as part of a four-day truce between Hamas and Israel.