Hostage rescued by IDF commandos after months in Gaza captivity
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced the release of a hostage held in a tunnel under the southern part of the Gaza Strip. Kaid Farhan Al-Qadi, a 52-year-old security guard, was kidnapped by terrorists on 7 October 2023. He has now returned home after months of captivity.
The Israeli military reported on Tuesday the rescue of the 52-year-old hostage, who Hamas had held since 7 October of last year. According to the "Times of Israel," Al-Qadi was found in a tunnel by commandos from the elite Shayetet 13 naval unit.
The operation was led by the Southern Command of the Israel Defense Forces, the Shin Bet security agency, and the 162nd Division of the Israel Defense Forces. It was carried out by an elite unit of the Israeli army specialised in counterterrorism operations.
The man is currently in hospital and is described as stable. The 52-year-old is undergoing tests. Families of those kidnapped on 7 October last year emphasise that the release of Kaid Farhan Al-Qadi is "nothing short of a miracle." However, they stress that military operations alone "will not free the remaining 108 hostages, who have been suffering for 326 days due to abuse and terror."
According to "Sky News," the rescued hostage comes from the Bedouin community – an area predominantly inhabited by Muslims – and worked as a security guard at a packaging factory in Kibbutz Magen. The man has two wives and 11 children.
Many hostages are still in captivity
"The Times of Israel" reports that 104 out of the 251 hostages kidnapped by Hamas on 7 October are still in the Gaza Strip. The Israel Defense Forces confirmed the deaths of at least 34 hostages. The fate of the rest remains unknown.
Last week, Israeli authorities reported the recovery of the bodies of six Israeli hostages. This was achieved through a nighttime military operation in Khan Younis, Israeli authorities reported.
The Israeli military claims that at this stage further details cannot be published "due to the security issues of the hostages, the armed forces, and the state." They also assure that the military will pursue the release of the hostages by all possible means.
