Four Israeli hostages, abducted by Hamas from the Nova music festival during the October 7 attacks, have been successfully rescued in a bold daylight raid deep within central Gaza.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the operation on Saturday, detailing the release of Noa Argamani, 25, Almog Meir Jan, 21, Andrei Kozlov, 27, and Shlomi Ziv, 40, from two separate buildings in the Nuseirat area.
According to IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari, the mission was executed based on “precise” intelligence and involved a “high-risk, complex mission.” The operation saw Israeli forces come under fire but ultimately succeeded in freeing the hostages, who are now in good medical condition and undergoing further examinations at the Sheba Tel-HaShomer Medical Center.
The daring rescue, a coordinated effort by the IDF, the Israel Security Agency, and the Israel Police, comes amidst the ongoing conflict with Hamas, now in its eighth month. The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza reported numerous casualties, including children, and significant injuries from the operation. Images from the scene reveal the struggle of medical teams at Al-Aqsa hospital to treat the wounded with limited resources.
Argamani’s abduction on October 7 garnered international attention when video footage showed her being forcibly taken away on a motorbike, pleading for her life. Fresh footage on Saturday captured her emotional reunion with her father, marking a moment of relief amid the conflict. Kozlov, a Russian national and festival security guard, Jan, who was attempting to flee the festival, and Ziv, a festival security detail member, also shared similar harrowing experiences of capture and release.
The Hostages Families Forum Headquarters, representing the families of those abducted, lauded the rescue as “a miraculous triumph” and expressed gratitude towards the IDF for their “heroic operation.” The group urged the Israeli government to persist in its efforts to secure the release of the remaining 120 hostages held by Hamas, emphasizing the need for the rehabilitation of the living and the respectful burial of the deceased.
In response to the military action in Nuseirat, Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh stated that Israel’s attempts to impose its will would not succeed and reiterated that a ceasefire agreement would only be possible if it ensured security for Palestinians.
The initial October 7 attacks by Hamas in southern Israel resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and the kidnapping of 251 individuals. While a deal in November led to the release of 105 hostages in exchange for a week-long ceasefire and the liberation of 240 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails, 116 hostages, including 41 whom the army believes are deceased, remain in Palestinian territory.
As of Saturday, the Hamas-run health ministry reported that the death toll in Gaza has reached 36,801 people.
