Family of orphan held by Hamas hope she's home for her fourth birthday on Friday

‘Friday is her 4th birthday. We need to see Abigail come out and then we will be able to believe it.’

The toddler was reportedly being held by her father when he and her mother were shot and killed by Hamas.

She crawled out ‘from under her father’s body… full of his blood’ and fled to a neighbour’s home, where she was kidnapped by Hamas, Hirsh Naftali said.

Her siblings, ages 6 and 10, who witnessed their parents’ murder, escaped by hiding in a closet for 14 hours.

‘For our family, we have spent the last seven weeks … worrying, wondering, praying, hoping,’ she said.

President Biden said in a statement: ‘Today’s deal should bring home additional American hostages, and I will not stop until they are all released’.

Hamas has agreed to release 50 women and children in exchange for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza and Israel’s release of a number of Palestinian women and children prisoners.

The truce is expected to take place at 10 am on Thursday.