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Heartbreaking Details Emerge of Abigail Mor Idan’s Ordeal in Hamas Kidnapping
Edited by: Fern Sidman
In a devastating testimony presented before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the family of Abigail Mor Idan, the 4-year-old who was the first American hostage released by Hamas in its cease-fire deal with Israel, shared heartbreaking new details of her capture, as was reported by the New York Post. The testimony sheds light on the traumatic events leading up to Abigail’s rescue and aims to draw attention to the remaining hostages held by the Iran-backed terror group.
Just weeks before her fourth birthday, Abigail witnessed unimaginable horror as Hamas gunmen attacked her family’s southern Israel home on October 7th. Minutes before her birthday, the young girl crawled out from under her father’s lifeless body to discover she had been left an orphan, according to the Post report. Her mother had been shot to death inside their house, and her father, attempting to flee with Abigail and her siblings, was gunned down by the terrorists.
In an act of paternal devotion, Abigail’s father fell on top of her to shield her from harm as her older brother and sister managed to escape, according to the Post report. Believing their baby sister was dead, the older siblings locked themselves in a closet in fear and agony, revealing the horrifying truth to their grandmother, who was thousands of miles away in Bulgaria.
Although covered in her father’s blood, Abigail miraculously survived the ordeal. Unbeknownst to her family, she had left her father’s slain body and sought help from a schoolmate’s house nearby, the Post report said. There, the friend’s mother took her in, providing shelter in a safe room after Hamas targeted their family as well.
Tragically, Abigail’s ordeal did not end there. Hamas gunmen, relentless in their reign of terror, kidnapped Abigail and the neighboring family, holding them hostage in Gaza until her eventual release on Sunday, the Post report said. The harrowing details shared by Abigail’s family shed light on the heinous acts committed by the terror group and the lasting impact on innocent lives caught in the crossfire.
Abigail’s family, represented by her great-aunt Liz Hirsh Naftali, shared the heartbreaking details of her 50-day captivity while calling for continued international pressure to secure the release of the remaining hostages still held by Hamas, the Post reported.
For 50 agonizing days, Abigail’s family lived in the torment of not knowing her whereabouts. The void extended to the fate of her mother, Hagar, and her two siblings. The Post report said that the family was left with unanswered questions until the Sunday release, a moment that brought both relief and new challenges.
Abigail and her neighbors were freed as part of the cease-fire deal, which also compelled Israel to release 180 Palestinian prisoners, as was noted in the Post report. The release marked the end of a prolonged period of uncertainty for Abigail’s family, providing answers to questions that had tormented them for over seven weeks.
During her captivity, Abigail endured unimaginable conditions—kept in darkness with limited access to food. However, the mercy of her friend’s mother, Hagar, who cared for her as her own, played a crucial role in keeping the young girl alive, according to the Post report. Despite the hardships, Abigail’s resilience and the support she received allowed her to survive the ordeal.
In the three days since her release, Abigail has been making a triumphant recovery. Treated in a hospital, she has been surrounded by her siblings and cousins, who have visited her, cheering her spirits, the Post reported. Naftali shared that Abigail has visibly blossomed, with the light returning to her eyes.
While celebrating Abigail’s return, Naftali emphasized that the fight is far from over. As was indicated in the Post report, the family remains committed to pressuring the international community to secure the release of the approximately 180 hostages still held by Hamas. Naftali’s urgent plea to lawmakers underscores the importance of ongoing efforts to bring the remaining hostages home.
Abigail Mor Idan’s journey from captivity to recovery serves as a poignant reminder of the resilience of the human spirit. As the family navigates the path of healing, their determination to advocate for the release of others still held in captivity echoes a broader call for justice and compassion. The international community is urged to heed this plea and work tirelessly to ensure the safe return of those awaiting freedom from the clutches of terrorism.