No Americans among first round of hostages released in ceasefire deal

No Americans among 63 people released in overall detainee swap, but US officials hopeful citizens will be freed during four-day ceasefire

None of the estimated 10 Americans held hostage in Gaza were part of the first group of 24 captives released on Friday. The hostages were released as part of an Israel-Hamas deal to free upwards of 50 people captured in the 7 October attacks.

“We don’t know when that will occur, but we’re gonna be expecting it to occur,” President Joe Biden said during remarks on Friday about the fate of the hostages. “We don’t know what the list of all the hostages are and when they’ll be released, but we know the numbers that are gonna be released. So it’s my hope and expectation that it’ll be soon.”

“We don’t know all of their conditions,” he added.

Three Americans, including two women and a four-year-old girl named Abigail Edan, are expected to be among the first 50 hostages held by Hamas to be released, the president continued.

Ms Edan was kidnapped and her parents were killed during Hamas’s 7 October attack on her kibbutz in southern Israel.

US officials will receive more information on Friday morning about the next round of hostages released, the president said.

The hostage deal, brokered by the US and Qatar with help from Egypt, allows for the release of hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners being held in Israeli jails during a four-day ceasefire.

The first batch of released individuals consisted of 13 Israelis and 11 Asian farmworkers released from Hamas custody, with 39 Palestinians let out of Israeli detention in exchange.

The group of Israelis contained all women and children, per the Israeli prime minister’s office. Most of the hostages were originally kidnapped from kibbutz Nir Oz in southern Israel, Haaretz reports.

Ten Thais and one Filipino, all of whom were working on farms in Israel when they were kidnapped, were also released by Hamas, according to the governments of Qatar and Egypt.

Twenty-four Palestinian women and 15 teenagers held in Israeli detention in the occupied West Bank were also released, per Qatar.

Under the agreement, each day Hamas releases hostages Israel will cease their airstrikes, drone activity and ground invasion in Gaza as well as release Palestinian prisoners.

The break in military action will also allow for humanitarian aid to reach parts of Gaza.

Here’s what we know about the Americans expected to be released – and those who may remain in custody.

Abigail Edan

Abigail Edan (AP)

Abigail Edan, who turned four on Friday, was kidnapped during Hamas’ surprise attack on 7 October after militants stormed into her kibbutz in southern Israel, and is expected to be released in coming day.

During the attack, her parents, Roy Edan and Smadar Edan, were killed. Her siblings, aged 10 and six, survived by hiding inside their home for hours.

Since then, Abigail’s siblings and extended family have not seen her or heard about her.

For seven weeks, Abigail has been missing from her family who hope she is being “taken care of” and that she will be returned safely.

Liz Hirsh Naftali, Abigail’s great-aunt, told CNN they spent the last seven weeks “worrying, wondering, praying and hoping” for her safe return before her fourth birthday.

10 American hostages overall

US officials have not publicly named the other Americans they expect to be released in the initial group of 50 freed hostages.

The group contains both civilians and American-Israeli dual citizens who were captured while serving in the IDF.

Sagui Dekel-Chen, 35, was taken from Nir Oz kibbutz on the morning of 7 October.

His father, Jonathan Dekel-Chen, a Hebrew University of Jerusalem history professor, told The Independent he doesn’t expect his son to be part of the initial detainee release deal, which pertains to women and children.

“That will mean that there another 190 hostages still held by Hamas, among them my son,” Professor Dekel-Chen said.

He described the 7 October attack on the kibbutz as a “living hell” and knows many of the hostages taken by Hamas.

“All of them I’ve known pretty much all of their lives,” he said. “They are my friends. They are my kids’ friends. They are my grandkids’ friends, in some cases whose parents were murdered October 7 on the kibbutz.”

Other American civilians held include Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, who had just finished his Israeli army service in April and was among those at a dance party in southern Israel attacked by Hamas.

Keith Siegel, 62, who lived in Israel for four decades, was taken alongside his wife Adrienne from the Kfar Aza kibbutz, where more than 100 people were killed in Hamas attacks.

Itay Chen, 19, a dual citizen serving in the IDF, was captured on 7 October, after his base came under attack.

“You feel like you’re in a hurricane but you don’t know when it is going to end,” his father, Ruby Chen, told The Independent earlier this week of the experience of waiting for news of his son.

“When you wake up, what do you do? Is today a sprint - is there something attainable? Or are you on a marathon?

“I can’t articulate it, it is not pain. I don’t think it has a word in the dictionary.”

A fragile ceasefire

The agreement between Israel and Hamas stipulates that the ceasefire may be extended by one day for every 10 additional hostages that are released.

At the start of the ceasefire, approximately 240 people were being held hostage in Gaza, according to Israeli officials. At least nine Americans and one legal permanent resident are believed to be among those hostages.

During his remarks on Friday, Mr Biden said he doesn’t trust Hamas, and that the group would only respond to “pressure” from the international community. The US president also vowed to continue working to release the Americans held by Hamas.

“We also remember all those who are still being held and renew our commitment to work for their release,” he added. “We also will not stop until we get these hostages brought home and an answer to their whereabouts”.