Hamas is expected to free at least one American in the third hostage exchange with Israel scheduled for Sunday, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said, marking the first release of an American in the deal reached between Israel and Hamas last week.
A Red Cross bus carrying Palestinians prisoners released from Israeli jails in exchange for hostages ... [+]
Sullivan told NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday that the White House has “reason to believe” that Hamas will free at least one American on Sunday.
When asked by NBC’s Kristen Welker if the American expected to be released Sunday is 4-year-old Avigail Edan, Sullivan said officials are “hopeful” she will be released, but cautioned “I’m not in a position sitting here at this moment to confirm that . . . hopefully, literally, any hour now we will know which of the Americans is out.”
Edan, a dual Israeli-U.S. citizen whose parents were killed in Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel, according to the New York Times, is among three American citizens, including two women, expected to be released during the four-day pause in fighting.
Sunday’s exchange is expected to happen around 4 p.m. Israel time (9 a.m. EST).
Hamas has released a total of 41 hostages since Friday in exchange for the release of 78 Palestinians imprisoned in Israel as part of a deal reached last week with the Israeli government. Friday’s release included 13 Israelis, 10 Thai nationals and one Filipino citizen held hostage in Gaza by Hamas. Hamas released an additional 13 Israelis and four Thai nationals on Saturday after a brief delay after Hamas claimed Israel was not meeting the terms of the agreement (which Israel denied). Israel released 39 Palestinian prisoners on Friday and Saturday. Hamas and Israeli officials announced they reached a deal last week for Hamas to release a total of 50 Israeli hostages, all women and children, taken captive in Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel amid a four-day pause in fighting. They are among an estimated 240 hostages taken by Hamas from Israel.
- That’s the number of humanitarian aid trucks that have entered Gaza amid the four-day pause in fighting.