Woman Released By Hamas Has Strong Waterford Ties, Officials Say

WATERFORD, CT — The second American citizen released by Hamas on Wednesday after being kidnapped during the Oct. 7 attack in Israel has family in Waterford, Rep. Joe Courtney said in a news release.

Liat Beinin, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, spent several weeks captured after being taken from her home in Kibbutz Nir Oz in the attack, officials said.

She is a mother of three adult children, an educator, and a tour guide at the holocaust remembrance center in Jerusalem, The New York Times reported. Her relatives from Waterford are active members of eastern Connecticut’s Jewish community.

"My Beinin family from Israel spent five days in eastern Connecticut with us this August," Waterford's Jerry Fischer, former executive director of the Jewish Federation of Eastern Connecticut, wrote in a Wednesday news release.

"We grew very close to them as they walked with us in Harkness Park, dined with us, and shared birthdays with us over lobster in Noank," Fischer continued. "As soon as we heard of their capture we reached out to our Congressman, Joe Courtney and he did everything possible to keep Liat and [her husband] Aviv’s capture high on the agenda of the State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem."

Fischer expressed gratitude for Courtney's "dedication and diligence in the efforts to free the hostages."

In his own statement, Courtney wrote that "it is a relief to see Liat Beinin back in safe hands."

"I applaud President Biden and his Administration for their steadfast commitment to brokering the deal that made Liat’s release possible," Courtney continued.

Meanwhile, officials are still working to assist the family with finding and returning Beinin's husband, Aviv Atzili, who was also kidnapped.

"I am wishing Liat and her family comfort as they reunite and join them in praying for Aviv’s safety," Courtney said.

Hamas freed a total of 16 hostages Wednesday, the sixth set of releases since a cease-fire began Friday.

Hamas, which has ruled the Palestinian Gaza Strip since 2007, launched an attack inside Israel Oct. 7, killing more than 1,400 and taking hundreds of others hostage while seizing settlements. Its unprecedented breach of the border sent fighters inside border communities and military installations, shocked Israel and its allies, and raised questions about the group's capabilities and strategy.

The U.S. State Department designated Hamas a terrorist group in 1997. The European Union and other Western countries also consider it a terrorist organization.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.