President Biden on Sunday hailed the discharge of Avigail Idan, a 4-year-old American citizen who has been held hostage by Hamas for seven weeks, and vowed to maintain working to safe freedom for others in captivity and lengthen the pause within the combating.

“Thank God she’s residence,” Mr. Biden informed reporters in Nantucket, Mass., the place he has been marking the Thanksgiving vacation. “I want I used to be there to carry her.”

Avigail, whose identify has been rendered as Abigail in American media, is a twin U.S. and Israeli citizen and was seized in the course of the Hamas terrorist assault on Oct. 7 after her dad and mom have been killed. Her case has been the main focus of widespread worldwide consideration and concern as she marked her fourth birthday on Friday. She was amongst a complete of 17 folks held captive who have been turned over on Sunday, and Mr. Biden mentioned she was “safely in Israel.”

The president mentioned the momentary truce was not solely ensuing within the launch of hostages however the provision of extra help to civilians in Gaza, with 200 vehicles of meals, water, drugs, gas and cooking gasoline arriving every day. He mentioned he hoped to increase the unique deal to launch 50 hostages in trade for Palestinians jailed by Israel and a four-day pause in Israel’s army operation, in order that extra captives may be freed and the maintain on combating can proceed.

“Extra is required however this deal is delivering lifesaving outcomes,” Mr. Biden mentioned. “Important help goes in and hostages are popping out. This deal is structured in order that it may be prolonged to maintain constructing on these outcomes. That’s my aim, that’s our aim, to maintain this pause going past tomorrow in order that we are able to proceed to see extra hostages come out and surge extra humanitarian reduction to these in want in Gaza.”