New images released Monday show 4-year-old U.S. citizen Avigail Idan smiling and reunited with surviving family members after being taken hostage by Hamas last month. 

Idan, a dual American and Israeli citizen, returned Sunday night to Israel and was taken to a special unit designated for released hostages at Schneider Children’s Medical Center, a member of Clalit Health Services. 

One photo, released by the Israeli prime minister’s office, showed Idan with her aunt Liron and grandmother Shlomit, at the Hatzerim base after being released from Hamas captivity. 

Idan’s parents, Roy Idan and Smadar Idan, were shot and killed in the October 7 Hamas attack.

The girl was also photographed during her first few hours in the department together with her aunt Liron, uncle Zuli, and grandparents Shlomit and Eitan. 

Sunday’s hostage release was the third as part of a temporary cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas. As part of the agreement, Israel released 39 Palestinian prisoners.

 Israel and Hamas are preparing for a fourth exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners, as mediators seek to extend a cease-fire in Gaza that is set to expire after Monday.

The Israeli prime minister’s office confirmed the families of more hostages have been notified who will be freed Monday night. 

Israel has said it would extend the cease-fire by one day for every 10 additional hostages released. Hamas has also said it hopes to extend the truce, which was mediated by the United States, Qatar and Egypt, according to the AP.

Fox News’ Dana Karni and the Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Attorney General Merrick Garland visited the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New York City on Monday, when he shared brief public remarks about his office’s role in securing the safe return of American hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza.

During his visit, Garland met with U.S. Attorney Damian Williams as well as other federal, state and local law enforcement leaders to discuss the issues in their community. The visit is part of the attorney general’s plan to visit other U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country.

‘While these kinds of meetings between the Justice Department and our law enforcement partners are always important, the current global threat environment makes this one particularly urgent,’ Garland started his remarks.

‘Over the past several days, over 40 hostages who were kidnapped by Hamas on October 7th have been released. Among them was Avigail Idan, a 4-year-old American,’ he continued. ‘We welcome Avigail’s return and hope to see the return of more hostages in the days to come.’

The attorney general, flanked by Williams, said the department’s Victims Services Office, as well as corresponding victim’s services offices within the FBI, were standing ready to ‘provide assistance to released Americans and their families.’

‘We also remain committed to working with our partners across the U.S. government to secure the return of all missing Americans, including those still held hostage. As always, but especially now, the Justice Department is remaining vigilant in the face of the potential threats of hate-fueled violence and terrorism.’

Garland also said his department was focused on activity at home that may be influenced by the Israel-Hamas war and the wider tensions across the Middle East.

‘We are closely monitoring the impact that the conflict in the Middle East may have on inspiring Foreign Terrorist Organizations, homegrown violent extremists and domestic violent extremists, both here in the United States and abroad,’ he said. ‘All of us have also seen a sharp increase in the volume and frequency of threats against Jewish Muslim and Arab communities across our country since October 7.’

The attorney general then specifically mentioned the investigation out of Vermont, where three Palestinian men were attacked.

‘There is understandable fear in communities across the country,’ Garland said. ‘Even as we speak, the ATF and the FBI are investigating the tragic shooting of three men of Palestinian descent and Vermont. That investigation, including whether this is a hate crime, is ongoing.’

Authorities arrested a suspect in connection with the attack. 

‘No person and no community in this country should have to live in fear of hate fueled violence. fulfilling that promise motivates us every day,’ he added.

Garland said investigative updates out of Vermont would be ‘coming soon.’

‘While we are confronting this elevated global threat environment, we also know we cannot lose sight of many other challenges and includes working closely with our law enforcement partners to combat violent crime,’ the attorney general continued.

He also provided examples of how his office was continuing to find ways to curb the flow of deadly fentanyl.

‘This office also has an important part of the Justice Department’s broader strategy to disrupt and dismantle fentanyl by attacking every link in the chain of the trafficking networks,’ he said.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre issued a terse response when questioned Monday over President Biden’s ‘sagging’ poll numbers and whether the administration had considered any staffing shakeups or strategy changes to combat them.

‘No,’ Jean-Pierre simply said, appearing to gaze sternly at the reporter asking the question.

Her answer comes as Biden continues to face the daunting task of winning back enough support from Americans ahead of the 2024 presidential election as a number of polls show Biden trailing each of the top Republican candidates vying for the GOP presidential nomination.

A national poll released earlier this month by Marquette Law School showed Biden trailing former President Donald Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley in hypothetical matchups.

Trump, who is the overwhelming favorite to win the Republican nomination, held a 52% to 48% lead over Biden. Haley topped Biden 55% to 45% while DeSantis

The reporter went on to reference what appeared to be the call White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients held with cabinet officials over the summer, asking them to decide whether to stick around for the remainder of Biden’s term or leave early.

‘Should we be anticipating any departures of either cabinet officials or other senior officials,’ the reporter asked.

‘Look, I can’t speak to people’s personal decisions. We don’t have anything to announce at this time,’ Jean-Pierre responded. 

‘We’re going to continue to do the work that the president set out to do. We just talked about supply chains, we just talked about the economy, we’ve been talking about the president’s leadership globally, especially in the Middle East. That’s what we’re here to do and focus on. That’s what I’m here to do and focus on. I just can’t speak to people’s decisions,’ she added.

The identities of 11 additional hostages who were kidnapped by Hamas on Oct. 7 and returned Monday have been released. 

The Israeli military said Monday evening that 11 hostages were handed over to the Red Cross in Gaza and were on their way to Israeli territory, marking the start of the fourth swap under the original truce. 

IDF special forces and ISA forces accompanied the hostages into Israeli territory. The freed hostages are expected to undergo an initial medical assessment of their health, and the forces will accompany them until they are reunited with their families. 

The latest release comes as Israel and Hamas have agreed to extend their cease-fire for two more days past Monday, according to the Qatari government, which was involved in truce negotiations.

So far, Hamas has released 58 hostages, including 39 Israelis, during the current truce, while Israel has released 117 Palestinian prisoners.

Per Qatar, those released from Israeli prisons include 30 minors and three women, while the Israelis released from Gaza include three with French citizenship, two with German citizenship, and six from Argentina who were handed over to the Red Cross. 

Monday’s hostages released have been identified as Or Yaakov, 16; Yagil Yaakov, 12; Eitan Yahalomi, 12; Sahar Kalderon, 16; Erez Kalderon, 12; Karina Engel-Bart, 51; Mika Engel, 18; Yuval Engel, 11; Emma Cunio, 3; Yuli Cunio, 3; and Sharon Alony Cunio, 34.

Israel has said it would extend the cease-fire by one day for every 10 additional hostages released. After the announcement by Qatar — a key mediator in the conflict, along with the United States and Egypt — Hamas confirmed it had agreed to a two-day extension ‘under the same terms.’

But Israel says it remains committed to crushing Hamas’ military capabilities and ending its 16-year rule over Gaza after its Oct. 7 attack into southern Israel. That would likely mean expanding a ground offensive from devastated northern Gaza to the south, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have crammed into United Nations shelters, and where dire conditions persist despite the increased delivery of aid under the truce.

Israel will resume its operations with ‘full force’ as soon as the current deal expires if Hamas does not agree to further hostage releases, government spokesperson Eylon Levy told reporters on Monday. Israel has said that, in addition to dismantling Hamas, freeing the rest of the captives is a top priority.

Hamas and other militants could still be holding up to 175 hostages, enough to potentially extend the cease-fire for two and a half weeks. But those include a number of soldiers, and Hamas is likely to make much greater demands for their release.

Fox News Digital’s Dana Karni and The Associated Press contributed to this report.