4 hostages kidnapped at music festival in Israel on Oct. 7 rescued, military says
Israeli forces rescued four hostages from two separate locations during a raid in central Gaza on Saturday, according to the country's military.
The four hostages, three men and one woman, are in good condition and have been taken to a hospital for medical checks, Israel said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"This morning, in a joint special operation held by the @IDF, ISA and the Israeli police, four Israeli hostages were rescued from Gaza," the post said.
"The four were kidnapped by the Hamas terrorist organization from the 'Nova' music festival on Oct. 7. The hostages were rescued from two separate locations in the heart of Nuseirat."
Hundreds of Israeli troops took part in the special operation, which was planned for weeks, Israel's chief military spokesperson said on Saturday. Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said one police officer was injured.
He told reporters in a televised news conference that the hostages were held in two houses in a residential neighbourhood.
The freed hostages include Noa Argamani, 25, Almog Meir Jan, 21, Andrey Kozlov, 27, and Shlomi Ziv, 40.
People in Ramat Gan, Israel, react after the military said that Israeli forces have rescued four hostages from the central Gaza Strip on Saturday. (Marko Djurica/Reuters)
Israeli News 12 broadcast footage of Argamani reunited her father, smiling and embracing him. Video of Argamani's kidnapping had circulated soon after she was dragged into Gaza by gunmen on Oct. 7.
After eight months of war in Gaza, precipitated by Hamas's Oct. 7 attack against Israel, 116 of the around 250 hostages abducted by militants remain in the Palestinian enclave, according to Israeli tallies.
'Thank you for this moment'
A video of Argamani receiving a telephone call from Israeli President Isaac Herzog was distributed by his office.
"I am so happy to be here. Thank you for everything, thank you for this moment," said a smiling Argamani, sitting with her father in a hospital room.
In another video, speaking on the phone with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Argamani said, "I am very moved. I haven't heard Hebrew for so long."
Earlier video of Argamani reunited with her father showed her smiling and embracing him.
She was kidnapped from the music festival along with her boyfriend, Avinatan Or, on the morning of Oct. 7. He is still believed to be held in Gaza.
Avivit Yablonka, sister of Chanan Yablonka, 42, and Orit Meir, mother of Almog Meir Jan, one of four Israeli hostages rescued from Gaza in a military operation on Saturday, are shown at the Israeli Embassy in London on March 7. (Toby Melville/The Associated Press)
