JERUSALEM — Israeli forces rescued a hostage discovered alone underground in Gaza on Tuesday, releasing a dwelling captive from Hamas’ huge tunnel community for the primary time for the reason that Oct. 7 assault that ignited the warfare.
The 52-year-old Israeli man was taken to a hospital in Israel, the place members of his giant Bedouin Arab household gathered round his bedside in a joyful reunion.
The rescue introduced a uncommon second of reduction to Israelis after 10 months of warfare but in addition served as a painful reminder that dozens of hostages are nonetheless in captivity as worldwide mediators attempt to dealer a cease-fire wherein they’d be launched.
Qaid Farhan Alkadi was present in a southern Gaza tunnel the place hostages have been suspected to be alongside militants and explosives, based on the navy.
“Immediately, I heard somebody talking Hebrew exterior the door, I couldn’t imagine it, I couldn’t imagine it,” Alkadi informed Israeli President Isaac Herzog in a telephone name from his hospital mattress, based on the president’s workplace.
The navy stated it utilized “classes” discovered throughout earlier operations whereas rescuing Alkadi. Earlier within the warfare, Israeli troops who encountered three hostages inside Gaza by accident shot and killed them, believing them to be militants.
Alkadi was one among eight members of Israel’s Bedouin Arab minority who have been kidnapped on Oct. 7. He was working as a guard at a packing manufacturing unit in Kibbutz Magen, one among a number of farming communities that got here below assault. He has two wives and is the daddy of 11 youngsters.
Israel believes there are nonetheless 108 hostages in Gaza and that greater than 40 of them are useless. A lot of the relaxation have been freed throughout a weeklong cease-fire in November in alternate for the discharge of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.
Alkadi is one among eight hostages to be rescued alive and the primary of those rescued from underground, the Israeli navy stated. Alkadi was held in quite a lot of areas throughout his 326 days in captivity, based on Israel’s navy spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari.
Footage launched by the Israeli navy confirmed Alkadi moments after the rescue. Unshaven and sporting a white tank prime, he’s seen sitting and smiling with troopers earlier than boarding a helicopter to a hospital. He appeared emaciated however officers described his situation as secure.
His giant household gathered on the hospital within the southern Israeli metropolis of Beersheba to welcome him dwelling.
Certainly one of his brothers held Alkadi’s toddler son, who was born whereas he was in captivity and had not but met his father, the brother stated.
“We’re so excited to hug him and see him and inform him that we’re all right here with him,” a member of the family who gave his identify as Faez informed Channel 12. “I hope that each hostage will come dwelling so the households can expertise this happiness.”
Israeli Protection Minister Yoav Gallant stated the rescue was a part of the military’s “daring and brave actions carried out deep contained in the Gaza Strip.”
President Herzog, in his telephone name with Alkadi, informed him: “Expensive Farhan, how shifting it’s to listen to your voice! Our brother has come dwelling. Our brother has returned!”
Herzog’s workplace stated Farhan expressed his gratitude and urged Israeli authorities to work to free the others. “Individuals are struggling there. Do the whole lot you may to deliver folks dwelling. Work 24 hours, don’t sleep till they return. Individuals are actually struggling, you may’t think about,” he stated, based on a transcript of the decision present by Herzog’s workplace.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu additionally spoke with Alkadi by telephone quickly after he arrived on the hospital. He stated that Israel would depend on rescue operations and negotiations to deliver the remaining hostages dwelling.
“Each methods collectively require our navy presence within the discipline, and unceasing navy stress on Hamas,” Netanyahu stated.
Referring to Netanyahu by a conventional Arabic nickname, Alkadi thanked the prime minister for enabling him to see his household once more, based on a video of the decision supplied by Netanyahu’s workplace.
Alkadi reminded Netanyahu that “there are others ready.” To which Netanyahu replied, “we haven’t forgotten anybody, simply as we haven’t forgotten you.”
The Israeli navy launched footage of Alkadi being transported by helicopter after his rescue. Smiling, he gave a salute because the helicopter was in flight.
Hamas-led militants kidnapped some 250 folks within the Oct. 7 assault, wherein some 1,200 folks, principally civilians, have been killed.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed over 40,000 Palestinians, based on native well being officers, who don’t say what number of have been militants. It has displaced 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million folks from their properties and prompted heavy destruction throughout the besieged territory.
Israeli airstrikes continued on Tuesday throughout the Gaza Strip, and Palestinian officers stated at the least 18 folks, together with eight youngsters, have been killed within the assaults.
Two earlier Israeli operations to free hostages killed scores of Palestinians. Hamas says a number of hostages have been killed in Israeli airstrikes and failed rescue makes an attempt. Israeli troops mistakenly killed three Israelis who escaped captivity in December.
Mazen Abu Siam, an in depth household buddy ready on the hospital, stated the household was overjoyed to listen to the information, however they have been nonetheless praying for a cease-fire.
“We’re ready for a deal for one yr,” Siam informed The Related Press.
America, Egypt and Qatar have spent months making an attempt to barter an settlement wherein the remaining hostages can be freed in alternate for an enduring cease-fire. These talks are ongoing, however there was no signal of any breakthrough.
Netanyahu has confronted intense criticism from households of the hostages and far of the Israeli public for not but reaching a take care of Hamas to deliver them dwelling.
Hamas hopes to commerce the hostages for an enduring cease-fire, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and the discharge of numerous Palestinian prisoners, together with high-profile militants.
Final week, after the Israeli navy recovered the our bodies of six hostages in southern Gaza, Israel’s navy spokesperson, Hagari, stated the military was working to collect extra intelligence for rescue operations. However he added that “we can not deliver everybody again via rescue operations alone.”
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Julia Frankel contributed reporting from Jerusalem.
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Comply with AP’s warfare protection at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
