New details emerged hours after a daring daylight operation involving hundreds of fighters, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) successfully rescued four hostages from the heart of the Nuseirat refugee camp in Gaza. The rescued hostages, identified as Noa Argamani (25), Almog Meir Jan (21), Andrey Kozlov (27), and Shlomi Ziv (40), were abducted by Hamas terrorists during the October 7 attack on the Nova music festival in Re'im.
The IDF spokesperson announced that the hostages are in good condition and have been transferred to Tel HaShomer hospital for medical evaluation.
The rescue mission, which took weeks of meticulous planning and intelligence gathering, was personally overseen by the IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and the Head of the Shin Bet security service Ronen Bar. The operation involved a complex coordination of ground forces, including Shin Bet operatives and elite Israel Police counterterrorism unit, the Yamam, who located and extracted the hostages from two separate locations within Nuseirat. The rescue was carried out under heavy fire, with the Israeli Air Force providing precision strikes based on solid intelligence to support the ground forces.
IDF Southern Command Chief Major General Yaron Finkelman, led the extraction event, navigating a significant complication during the forces' exit. Despite the risks, which included the possibility of the operation being called off until the last minute due to the presence of armed terrorists guarding the hostages, the mission was a success. However, one fighter was severely wounded during the operation, highlighting the perilous nature of such rescue attempts.
The successful rescue has been hailed as a victory for Israel and a testament to the resilience of its people. President Isaac Herzog, in a heartwarming conversation with Noa Argamani, expressed the nation's embrace and admiration for her. He noted that her name and image had become a global symbol of hope. Noa, visibly moved, thanked thepresident and expressed her joy at being home. Similarly, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant praised the heroic operational activity that brought the hostages back to Israel, vowing to continue the fight until all 120 remaining hostages are returned.
While celebrating this success, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum emphasized that the mission is not complete. They called on the Israeli government to remember its commitment to bring back all the hostages still held by Hamas, both the living for rehabilitation and the deceased for proper burial. The forum urged the government to advance the approval of the "Netanyahu deal" this week, underscoring that the joy, happiness, and closure experienced today are part of the government's obligation to its citizens. The IDF and security forces remain determined, promising to use all possible means to ensure no hostage is left behind.
