US President Biden meets woman who distracted Hamas gunmen with coffee and cookies, applauds her

United States President Joe Biden, during his visit to Tel Aviv on Wednesday (Oct 18), held an emotional meeting with the Israeli survivors of the Oct 7 rampage by Hamas militants and the first responders who came to their rescue.

Among them was Rachel Edri, a retired grandmother who was held hostage for more than 20 hours by Hamas gunmen and used food and conversations to divert their attention before she was rescued by the Israeli security forces.

As per Israeli media reports, Edri was held hostage along with her husband by heavily armed Hamas militants in her house.

In a conversation with Israel's Channel 12 News, Edri recalled saying to her husband, "If we will die, we will die together".

The couple's son, a police officer, was on the outside, helping the YAMAM counterterrorism force plan a rescue. Aware of the fact, Rachel decided to buy some time.

'The Plan'

She told the Israeli outlet that when she saw that the Hamas operatives were agitated, she came up with a plan.

"I saw they were angry, and I asked them if they were hungry," she said.

"I made them coffee and gave them cookies. They started singing Lior Narkis (Israeli singer's) songs to me. I distracted them. I knew my son was helping the YAMAM and that they would come to rescue me."

The next few hours were spent waiting, hoping to be rescued. At around midnight, the couple saw the Israeli Defence Forces approaching.

"At 2:30 in the morning, a grenade was suddenly thrown into our house, I jumped on my wife. Shots passed over us - near the head. I don't know how we survived," (translated from Hebrew) he told the news organisation.

After 15 hours of waiting, the couple was rescued. The Hamas operatives were killed by the Israeli special forces during the rescue operation.

(With inputs from agencies)

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