Israeli woman who was taken hostage by terrorists on October 7th and lost her husband meets with President Biden at the White House.
By World Israel News Staff
President Joe Biden met Monday with a freed Israeli captive who had been taken hostage on October 7th and forced into the Gaza Strip.
Liat Beinin Atzili, a 49-year-old dual Israeli-American citizen, was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists and her husband, Aviv, murdered after their home town of Nir Oz was overrun on October 7th.
Atzili’s home was torched during the invasion, and her dog, Revi, shot and killed.
The couple’s three adult children, Ofri, Neta, and Aya, were unharmed in the invasion.
Last November, Atzili was released, as part of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.
On Monday, Biden hosted Atzili in a meeting at the White House, alongside National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.
The president called Atzili a “survivor,” and lauded her “resilience” during her ordeals in captivity.
“Liat Beinin Atzili is a survivor,” the president tweeted, adding that he would continue to work towards the release of the captives held in Gaza.
“It was my honor to welcome her to the White House this evening, hear firsthand about her resilience despite enduring the unthinkable, and promise her that my work isn’t done until we secure the release of all remaining hostages held by Hamas.
In a screening of an interview this February, Atzili recalled her abduction from Nir Oz.
“We heard gunfire, and then more shots. Aviv said ‘I’m with the rapid response team’ and went out, and I didn’t see him again. I sent him some sort of message that the house was burned down and I didn’t know what to do, and he no longer responded to it. I thought I should get out of the protected room and try to put out the fire and I was terribly afraid. Two armed men in uniforms entered and kidnapped me.”