President Biden hosted released hostage Liat Atzili, 49, at the White House on Monday,
In a post on X, formally Twitter, Biden referred to Atzili as a "survivor" and said it was an honor to welcome her to his residence to hear "firsthand about her resilience despite enduring the unthinkable."
Biden continued by saying that his work was not done until he secured the release of the remaining hostages in Hamas captivity.
Liat Beinin Atzili is a survivor.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. pic.twitter.com/4fMneEkHzv
— President Biden (@POTUS) July 9, 2024
Liat Beinin-Etzili was released after 54 days in captivity, as part of the sixth round of the hostage deal in 2023.
She attended the White House event alongside family members and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, according to KAN.
Atzili holds American citizenship, and works as an educator at Yad Vashem.
Aviv Atzili was killed on Oct 7
Her husband, Aviv, a 49-year-old farmer and garage manager, was confirmed to have been killed by Hamas in Nir Oz. Their three children were saved.
In an op-ed in the New York Times on Feb 1, 2024, Atzili wrote that her "home of 30 years was burned beyond recognition, and the home of my heart — my husband, Aviv — was among the 1,200 killed by Hamas in Israel on that terrible October day."
Atzili also found that "terrorists killed her dog, Revi."
In 2008, the couple and their children were interviewed by the Post, during a period of intense rocket attacks from Gaza. "Aviv Atzili leaves the windows open all the time in his small home in Kibbutz Nir Oz on the Gaza border so glass shards won't fly through the rooms should a rocket or mortar fall nearby."