Hamas has released an additional 17 hostages, including a 4-year-old Israeli-American girl, thereby hoping for the continuation of the temporary ceasefire between Israel and the militant group.
The ceasefire will reach its fourth and final agreed-upon day on Monday, and Hamas has expressed its desire for an extension in exchange for Israel taking substantial measures to increase the number of released Palestinian detainees.
Israel freed 39 teenage Palestinian prisoners on Sunday, bringing the total to 117 since the truce began.
On Sunday, Hamas announced the successful transfer from Gaza of 13 Israelis, three Thais, and one with Russian citizenship, as confirmed by the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Since October 7, Abigail Edan, age 4, had been held captive after witnessing her parents being slaughtered by Hamas fighters during their incursion into Israel, as stated by Biden.
“What she endured is unthinkable,” Biden told a U.S. news conference.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that he discussed the hostage release with U.S. President Joe Biden, adding that he would support an extension of the temporary ceasefire in exchange for the release of ten captives per additional day.
Netanyahu said he told Biden that after the truce, “we will return with full force to achieve our goals: the elimination of Hamas, ensuring that Gaza does not return to what it was, and of course, the release of all our hostages.”
Hamas captured approximately 240 hostages in Gaza after its attack on October 7.
