'I wish I was there to hold her': Biden celebrates the release of four-year-old Israeli-American hostage Abigail Mor Edan and vows to 'not stop working' until all being held are returned home

President Joe Biden cheered the release of four-year-old Israeli-American Abigail Mor Edan, who was among the hostages released by Hamas on Sunday.

The president gave an impromptu address about Edan's release from the White Elephant Hotel on Nantucket as he wrapped up his six-day family Thanksgiving vacation on the island.

Biden noted how Edan turned four on Friday, spending her birthday in captivity after Hamas terrorists murdered her parents in front of her during the October 7 terror attack on Israel. 

'Thank God she's home. I just can't imagine the enjoyment,' the president said chuckling with delight. 'I wish I were there to hold her.' 

Biden said he was 'hopeful' other American hostages would be released in coming days, 'but I don't have anything firmly to tell you at this moment.'

He promised to press on. 

'We will not stop working until every hostage has been returned to their loved ones,' Biden said.

The president said he didn't know what condition Edan was in nor had he seen pictures of the little girl since her release, after she spent more than 50 days in the hands of Hamas terrorists. 

'Today she's free and Jill and I, together with so many Americans, are praying for the fact that she is going to be alright,' Biden said. 'You know, she's free and she's in Israel now.'

He noted that she would need a lot of suppoort after going through this 'terrible trauma,' acknowleding those who 'are now wrapping Abigail in love and care.' 

'You know her mom was killed in front of her when her kibbutz was attacked by Hamas terrorists on October the 7th,' Biden said. 'Abigail ran to her dad then, who was then gunned down, gunned down as well, while using his body to shield little Abigail.'

'She then ran to a neighbor for help, where they were all taken hostage, that entire house of neighbors was taken hostage by Hamas and held for 50 days,' the president continued. 'What she endured was unthinkable.' 

Biden credited Edan's release with 'a lot of hard work and weeks of personal engagement from me and my team' as they kept in close contact with the leaders of Israel, Egypt and Qatar. 

The president gave special thanks to Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani for keeping the hostage release on track after it faced a hiccup on Saturday.

'For weeks, I've been advocating a pause in the fighting for two purposes - to increase the assistance getting into the Gaza civilians who need help and facilitate release of hostages,' Biden said. 

'We know that innocent children in Gaza are suffering greatly as well, because this war that Hamas has unleashed has such consequences,' Biden added.

He later told reporters that he would support the pause sticking 'as long as prisoners keep coming out.' 

'That's my goal. That's our goal, to keep this pause going beyond tomorrow so we can continue to see more hostages come out and surge more humanitarian relief to those in need in Gaza,' Biden said.

'This is the day by day approach, hour by hour process, nothing is guaranteed and nothing is being taken for granted,' the president continued. 'But the proof that this is working and worth pursuing further is in every smile and every grateful tear we see in the faces of those families that are finally getting back together again.' 

'The proof is little Abigail,' Biden added.