President Joe Biden expressed his satisfaction with the meeting he had with 4-year-old Abigail Idan and her family, who are both U.S. and Israeli citizens. Abigail had previously been held hostage by Hamas. According to Biden, the meeting went exceptionally smoothly.
Hamas had captured the little girl during the attacks on Israel on October 7. However, the terrorist group released her in November.
“It was a really successful meeting,” Biden informed reporters as he left the White House on Thursday morning. Reflecting on Wednesday’s encounter, he shared, “Her family reached out to me and mentioned that she was on her way home from the White House, expressing how much she loves Joe Biden.”
In November of last year, Jake Sullivan, the White House national security adviser, appeared on ABC’s “This Week” and shared the heartbreaking account of Abigail, a young girl who witnessed the tragic murder of her parents. Sullivan described the unimaginable horrors she had to endure, emphasizing the unspeakable nature of her experiences.
Biden took to the popular social media platform X to share a photo of himself with Idan, expressing admiration for her and describing her as “remarkable.”
In a recent post, he expressed his thoughts on our time together yesterday, emphasizing that it served as a powerful reminder of the challenging task ahead of us: securing the release of all remaining hostages.
“We took her out to the swings, and she was having a great time in the Oval Office,” Biden shared with reporters. “She was incredibly skilled and seemed to be thoroughly enjoying herself.”
During a separate call with reporters, an administration official provided additional information regarding Biden’s meeting with Idan’s family. The official revealed that the meeting lasted over an hour and delved into the administration’s extensive efforts to secure the release of hostages who are still being held by Hamas.
According to an administration official, President Biden allowed Abigail, a 4-year-old girl, to freely play in the Oval Office. She had the opportunity to crawl through the door of the Resolute desk, reminiscent of the iconic picture of John F. Kennedy’s young son. Additionally, Abigail enjoyed some outdoor playtime, swinging and playing on the playground located on the South Lawn.
During a White House press briefing on Wednesday, Sullivan discussed the meeting and emphasized that seeing Abigail served as a reminder of the other hostages whom the administration is actively endeavoring to bring back home safely.
“This moment brought both relief and happiness as she was safely reunited with her family. It served as a reminder for the president about the remaining work and the crucial need for him and the government to prioritize efforts in securing a cease-fire and a hostage deal. This way, we can ensure the safe return of all individuals involved,” emphasized Sullivan.
I had the opportunity to meet with Abigail a day before President Biden and leaders from 17 other countries issued a joint statement demanding the immediate release of the hostages held by Hamas.
According to a senior administration official, there have been no new updates on the negotiations for a deal to release hostages and establish a cease-fire in Gaza. However, the official described the current deal as “very forward leaning” and a “roadmap to the end of the crisis.” The official emphasized that for the deal to be implemented, Hamas simply needs to accept the terms presented.
According to AP, it is estimated that Hamas is still holding approximately 100 hostages.
