American woman Liat Beinin-Atzili held hostage by Hamas has been released from captivity.
Liat Beinin Atzili, 49, was taken hostage on October 7 along with her husband, Aviv Atzili, who was not part of the hostage release deal. Atzili is the second American citizen to be released during the ceasefire. Atzili and her husband Aviv were taken hostage when Hamas attacked Kibbutz Nir Oz in Southern Israel. Aviv had reportedly left the house as part of the community’s security response team after Hamas entered the kibbutz.
Atzili's sister Tal, who lives in the U.S., told Politico earlier in November: "Nir Oz was attacked by 150 armed terrorists. They just swarmed kibbutz Nir Oz, killing and kidnaping people, and executing people, babies, dogs. They also destroyed the kibbutz. Burning things, houses, equipment, stealing the cars, stealing the fuel, the tractors from the fields, because that’s how the kibbutz makes their money, from the fields."
READ MORE: U.S. hostage Abigail Edan, 4, giggles in reunion with aunt and uncle after parents killed
Abigail Edan, who turned four in captivity, was the first, let go on Friday. Abigail showed welcome some signs of joy after losing her parents Roee and Smadar Edan in the October 7 attack by Hamas which started the deadly conflict between Israel and Hamas almost two months ago. Abigail was kidnapped during the attacks on southern Israel after she had crawled from beneath the lifeless body of her father and through masses of rubble.
After weeks held hostage, President Biden confirmed the release of Abigail on Sunday, days after her fourth birthday. He said she is now “safely in Israel.” He added: “We will not stop working until every hostage is returned to their loved ones". Despite the heartbreaking loss, adorable images showed the curly-haired girl smiling as she sat between her aunt and uncle.
Abigail was being held in her father's arms when he was shot before falling on top of her. Hirsh Naftali, the little girl's great aunt, said Abigail had “crawled out from under her father’s body … full of his blood.” She added: “The last thing we learned was that somebody saw [a] terrorist taking this mother, her three kids and Abigail out of the kibbutz.”
The family were overjoyed she had been allowed to go free, but they are aware now she has no parents, Carmel Edan, Abigail's grandad said at the time: "Now I’m calm, but not completely calm because there is happiness, but there is also the absence of Roee and Smadar."
The release of hostages comes as the truce between Israel and Hamas in the raging war in Gaza has been extended for another two days, according to a spokesperson from Qatar's Foreign Ministry. The ceasefire will now span a total of six days as opposed to the originally agreed upon four. Monday was the final day of the original truce, and the new agreement came just as the fourth exchange of prisoners was to be held, swapping Hamas-held hostages for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.
There were approximately 240 hostages taken by Hamas when the militant group invaded Israel on Oct. 7 and in the days following the brutal attack. In the weeks since, Israeli forces have slaughtered more than 13,000 Palestinians in retaliatory airstrikes and attacks, over two-thirds of them women and minors, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza, which is controlled by Hamas.