OAN’s Sophia Flores
11:10 AM – Sunday, November 26 2023
A 4-year old American dual citizen, Avigail Edan, is one of the 17 hostages that was released. Her release marks the first time a United States citizen has been released since Hamas raided Israel on October 7th, killing over 1,000 and kidnapping hundreds.
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The 17 hostages were received by the Red Cross on Sunday. They were later transferred to Israel. Their names are Avigail Idan, 4, Hagar Brodutch, 40, Ofri Brodutch, 10, Yuval Brodutch, 9, Oriya Brodutch, 4, Chen Almong Goldstein, 48, Agam Goldstein, 17, Gal Goldstein, 11, Tal Goldstein, 9, Elma Avraham, 84, Aviva Siegel, 64, Ela Elyakim, 8, Dafna Elyakim, 15, and Roni Krivoi, 35.
Four-year-old orphan Avigail Idan was taken hostage from Kibbutz Kfar Aza. Her father, Roee Idan, was a photographer.
On October 7th, he saw the terrorists enter Israel on paragliders. Once he realized what was taking place, he ran to his house and found his wife Smadar dead. His children ran outside to their father but terrorists approached and shot him. He later died of his injuries.
Two of his young children, Michael, 9, and Amalya, 6, ran back into their house and hid in a closet for 14 hours. Their sister Avigail ran to the neighbor’s house where she was taken.
Avigail spent her 4th birthday captive in Gaza.
Hagar, Ofri, Yuval and Oriya Brodutch are the neighbors that Avigail hid with. Hargar’s husband Avihai Brodutch was defending the kibbutz when his family was taken. He initially presumed they were dead. However, he found out several days later they were alive.
Chen Goldstein-Almong and her three children who were taken with her, were also captured from Kibbutz Kfar Aza. Her husband, Nadav Goldstein-Almog, was recovering from surgery following a riding accident on October 7th. Due to that, he wasn’t able to move easily.
He was killed by Hamas. Additionally, their oldest daughter, 19-year-old Yam Goldstein-Almog was also murdered on the same day in the safe room of their home.
Sisters Ela and Dafna Elyakim were taken hostage while they were visiting their father and his partner for the Simchat Torah holiday. Both their father, his partner and her son were killed at his house in Kibbutz Nahal Oz.
Elma Avraham was taken from her safe room in Kibbutz Nahal Oz. She was by herself when she was abducted. Avraham was unable to lock the door to her safe room due to it being too heavy.
Aviva Siegal and her husband Keith were taken from Kibbutz Kfar Aza. Keith, who is a U.S. citizen is believed to remain hostage in Gaza.
Roni Krivoi is a dual Israeli- Russian citizen. He was taken while he was working as a sound technician at the Supernova music rave. His release came “in response to the efforts of Russian President Vladimir Putin and in appreciation of the Russian position in support of the Palestinian cause.”
The names of the three Thai hostages that were released in this group are not yet known.
Elder Elma Avraham was taken straight via helicopter to Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba. She is said to need immediate medical attention.
This is the third group of hostages released from Gaza. It also marked the most children released in a single day. Six out of the nine children returning on Sunday are now without at least one parent.
The first group was released on Friday while the second group retuned home on Saturday.
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