On Oct. 7, she witnessed her parents’ murder, before being abducted. On Friday, nearly seven weeks later, she spent her fourth birthday while under captivity. And on Sunday, she was finally freed, as one of the hostages Hamas released under a deal with Israel.
Her name is Avigail Idan. Avigail, whose name has also been spelled “Abigail” in U.S. media reports, is a dual citizen of Israel and the United States, and was among the roughly 240 people, including around 10 American citizens, taken as hostages by Hamas on Oct. 7.
After Avigail’s release, several members of her family reacted with relief. “We are blessed to give her lots of love and care and to help her build her life again,” Tal Idan, her aunt, wrote in a text message. “Feels like a miracle that came true,” she added.
Liz Hirsh Naftali and Noa Naftali, her great-aunt and cousin, said in a statement that they had “hoped and prayed today would come,” thanking President Biden and the Qatari government, which helped broker the cease-fire deal.
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