The Israeli military has successfully rescued four hostages from Gaza, including Noa Argamani. These individuals were abducted from the Nova music festival on October 7. They have now been safely returned to Israel and are in "good medical condition," receiving care at a local hospital.
Israeli security forces successfully freed four hostages during a daytime operation in central Gaza on Saturday. Among those rescued was Noa Argamani, whose abduction on October 7 became widely recognized through a distressing video that drew global attention.
The freed individuals have been taken to Sheba Tel HaShomer Medical Center near Tel Aviv, where officials report that they are in “good medical condition.”
The hostages, identified by the Israel Defense Forces, Israel Securities Authority, and Israel Police, are Noa Argamani, 25; Almog Meir Jan, 21; Andrey Kozlov, 27; and Shlomi Ziv, 40.
During the Nova music festival on October 7, several people were abducted by Hamas. Among them were individuals whose release has brought great joy across Israel.
In Tel Aviv, crowds gathered on the beach erupted in cheers when lifeguards broadcasted the news over a loudspeaker, reading each released individual's name.
A widely shared video captured the emotional moment Noa Argamani reunited with her father. Following her rescue, she spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “I’m very excited,” she expressed, adding, “I haven’t spoken Hebrew in such a long time.”
The recent rescue occurred amid escalating pressure on Prime Minister Netanyahu to secure a deal for the hostages' release, with thousands rallying regularly in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, an advocacy group dedicated to the hostages' freedom, hailed the rescue as a “miraculous” victory. They urged the government to continue efforts to free the remaining 120 hostages still held by Hamas and called on Hamas to agree to the cease-fire proposal put forward by President Joe Biden.
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid described the rescue as “a great light in a terrible darkness” and warmly welcomed the hostages' return.
Yan Gorjaltsan, a close friend of Argamani from Be’er Sheva, shared with NBC News the overwhelming happiness they felt, stating, “This is one of the happiest days of our lives. You can’t believe how we’re feeling.”
Argamani, a student of data science engineering, was seen in a harrowing video, screaming as she was abducted on the back of a motorcycle. This brief, approximately 10-second clip has become a poignant symbol of Israel's hostage crisis.
For her family, the mission to secure her release was a race against the clock, made more urgent by her mother, Liora, who is battling terminal brain cancer. Argamani celebrated her 26th birthday while in captivity. Meanwhile, her boyfriend, Avinatan Or, is believed to still be held in Gaza.
Almog Meir Jan, who had completed his military service just months before the attack, attempted to escape from a festival with a friend. However, their flight was cut short, and he was captured shortly after.
Shlomi Ziv, a security guard at the Nova festival, was attempting to escape while calling his sisters for help. Andrey Kozlov, who had recently moved to Israel from Russia, was also working as a security guard at the event.
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| The Israeli military successfully retrieves four hostages. |
The latest operation on Saturday marked the second instance since October 7 where the IDF successfully rescued hostages alive from Gaza. In February, two hostages were freed during an overnight mission in the southern city of Rafah. Earlier in May, the bodies of three hostages were recovered from the Jabalia camp in northern Gaza.Hamas took around 250 hostages during the attacks on October 7. Approximately half were freed during a weeklong cease-fire in November, while Israel reports that over 130 hostages are still held, with about 25% believed to have been killed.
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