Biden’s Gaza Pause Brings Joy -- and Anguish

US President Joe Biden was looking his most protective and avuncular as he announced that Avigail Idan, a dual citizen of the US and Israel who had turned four while in Hamas’ captivity, was among those now liberated. “Thank God she’s home,” he said . “I wish I was there to hold her.”

Avigail’s individual fate, like that of the scores of other hostages released during the humanitarian “pause” of recent days, is reason to cry tears of joy and of anguish at once. On Oct. 7, Hamas terrorists executed her father while he was holding her in his arms, then killed her mother as Avigail and her siblings looked on. Avigail, who also goes by Abigail, survived by running to a neighbor, but the gunmen came and took her to Gaza. She is now free and safe. But she’ll never be the same girl again. And most of the other hostages taken on Oct. 7 remain in captivity.