OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: The Israeli military said its troops had rescued on Saturday four Israeli hostages alive from Gaza after a “complex daytime operation”.
The army named the rescued hostages as Noa Argamani, 26, Almog Meir Jan, 22, Andrey Kozlov, 27, and Shlomi Ziv, 41.
All four were kidnapped by Hamas from the Nova music festival on October 7, the military said in a statement, adding the four had been taken to hospital and were in “good medical condition”.
Footage posted on social media by Israeli authorities showed Argamani in an emotional reunion with her father after her rescue.
Argamani was also seen smiling and speaking on the phone with President Isaac Herzog in footage aired on Israeli television.
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Israeli army spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said the operation took place in two separate buildings “in the heart of a civilian neighbourhood”.
“While under fire inside the buildings, under fire on the way out from Gaza, our forces rescued our hostages,” Hagari said in a televised statement.
An Israeli soldier was “critically wounded” in the operation, which took place around 11:00 am (0800 GMT), he added.
“The message this morning to Hamas is clear: we are determined to bring back home all the hostages.”
The rare rescue comes eight months into the war with Palestinian Hamas in Gaza.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said on X: “Noa, Almog, Andrey and Shlomi – we are overjoyed to have you home.”
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