In a meticulously executed operation on Tuesday, Israeli special forces successfully rescued Qaid Farhan Alkadi, a 52-year-old Israeli Bedouin hostage, from a tunnel network in southern Gaza. Alkadi, who had been in Hamas captivity since the October 7 attacks, was found in stable condition and swiftly transferred to Soroka Medical Center in Beer Sheva for medical evaluation.

Video: Alkadi's emotional reunion with the IDF / Credit: IDF Spokespersons Unit

Alkadi, a father of 11 who resided south of Rahat, was extricated from a subterranean tunnel in southern Gaza. The rescue was a joint effort involving elite units from across Israel's security apparatus: the Navy's Shayetet 13 commando unit, the 401st Brigade, the Combat Engineering Corps' specialized Yahalom unit, and operatives from the Shin Bet security service. Following his rescue, Alkadi was immediately airlifted to Soroka Medical Center in Beer Sheva, where medical officials reported his condition as stable and favorable.

Video: IDF special forces escort rescued hostage Qaid Farhan Alkadi to Soroka Medical Center / Credit: IDF Spokespersons Unit

For years, Alkadi had been employed as a security guard at the packing facility in Kibbutz Magen, the site from which he was forcibly taken during the October 7 attacks. In the chaotic aftermath of that day, his family made desperate attempts to contact him by phone, all to no avail. It was only after an agonizing wait of several weeks that they received official confirmation of his abduction.

In a press briefing following the successful rescue operation, IDF Spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari stated: "Alkadi underwent an initial debriefing in the field. However, we are constrained in what we can disclose about the specifics of the rescue operation, both to safeguard our remaining hostages and to protect the operational security of our forces."

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The Wall Street Journal revealed Monday details of the notable Gaza family who held three of the four hostages rescued by the IDF on June 8 hostage in their home.

According to the daily, 73-year-old physician Ahmad Al Jamal and his son, journalist Abdullah Al Jamal, were hiding Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov, and Shlomi Ziv in a small room in their Nuseirat apartment. Meir Jan, Kozlov, and Ziv were abducted from the Nova music festival on Oct. 7 when Hamas terrorists attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking some 250 captive.

To the outside world, Ahmad was a respected community figure – a doctor at a public clinic, an imam known for his beautiful Quran recitations, and the head of a family with ties to Hamas. However, behind closed doors, the Al Jamal apartment had become a prison for hostages.

According to local residents interviewed by the WSJ, Ahmad went about his regular routines of work and worship while his son Abdullah and daughter-in-law Fatma guarded the hostages in the darkened room. The captives could hear the family's daily activities from their locked quarters.

The Al Jamal home – along with another building nearby where hostage Noa Argamani was held by another family with Hamas links – was destroyed after the IDF rescue operation that included a dramatic commando raid to extract the four hostages, which turned into fierce fighting with Hamas terrorists. Ahmad, Abdullah, and Fatma were killed in the operation, though their children are said to have survived.

Hamas was condemned for recklessly endangering civilians by housing captives in a densely population neighborhood without their knowledge, while some suspect those living nearby might have been aware of the hostages being held in the vicinity.

According to the WSJ, the Al Jamals were deeply involved with Hamas. Ahmad's brother is a Hamas lawmaker, while Abdullah openly supported the Oct. 7 massacre. Yet they were also respected community members – the doctor who circumcised local boys, the imam with the beautiful voice.

While Hamas' indiscriminate use of human shields is well-documented, the hostage crisis has revealed a new depth of depravity in embedding captives within civilian homes and neighborhoods.

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US Vice President Kamala Harris has garnered criticism for mourning the "innocent" Palestinians killed during Saturday's IDF raid in which four hostages were rescued, despite revelations that regular Gazans were involved – or at least had knowledge – in the holding and transferring of Israeli captives who were held in highly civilian areas.

"Before I begin, I just say a few words about the morning which I know weighs heavily on all of our hearts," Harris said at a Michigan Democratic Party fundraiser, per Fox News. "On Oct. 7, Hamas committed a brutal massacre of 1,200 innocent people and abducted 250 hostages. Thankfully, four of those hostages were reunited with their families tonight. And we mourn all of the innocent lives that have been lost in Gaza, including those tragically killed today."

A state with a large Muslim population, Michigan is reportedly a concern for the Biden campaign in the upcoming election.

In the hours after Israel freed the hostages, it was revealed that civilians, including a reporter who had worked for Al Jazeera and Palestine Chronicle, held the Israeli hostages as prisoners in their homes. Israeli forces also sustained heavy fire from terrorists as they sought to evacuate the hostages.

"Kamala Harris mourns the terrorist hostage takers," wrote the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

The Republican Jewish Coalition asked, "Why is it so hard for the Biden administration to stand with Israel in its fight to defeat Hamas terrorists and rescue the remaining hostages?"

"Does she mourn the loss of the Hamas guys with RPGs who came to stop the Israelis from leaving, causing many of the casualties? Did they make her list?" wrote Clifford Asness, a Jewish billionaire hedge-fund manager with a large social media following.

Jake Sullivan, the US national security advisor, also said that innocent people were killed. "The exact number we don't know, but innocent people were killed," he told CNN. "Every day that we see more innocent people lost is another horrible, awful, tragic day."

The US vice president was briefly heckled during her remarks.

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

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Former IDF spokesperson Jonathan Conricus pushed back against a suggestion by BBC news anchor Helena Humphrey Sunday after she said the Israeli military should have given Palestinians advance warning on Saturday's hostage rescue operation.

"Of course, we cannot anticipate Israel to be warning ahead of a raid to extract or to save hostages because then what the terrorists would do is to kill the hostages, and that would defeat the purpose," Conricus rebuffed.

I was asked at @bbc whether the @idf should have warned Palestinians before launching the rescue operation today. What do you think? pic.twitter.com/9zjh2Gp6Zo

— Jonathan Conricus (@jconricus) June 9, 2024

The covert operation saw the release of four hostages – Noa Argamani, Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov, and Shlomi Ziv – who were abducted from the Nova music festival on Oct. 7. They were held hostage for nearly eight months in harrowing conditions.

Conricus acknowledged the civilian toll was regrettable but said an investigation was required into the role Palestinian civilians may have played in being "complicit" by allowing the hostages to be held captive in residential areas for months. "According to the reports that I have gotten...the Israeli hostages were held and jailed by Palestinian civilians in a Palestinian civilian area. As regrettable as any loss of life is, I think that we would have to investigate really who were the people who jailed these Israeli civilians for eight months," he said.

He added that "there was a significant firefight" between the IDF and Hamas terrorists during the operation.

"According to testimonies of Israeli soldiers, there were RPG rockets, heavy machine gun fire, and grenades being thrown. And I think we cannot rule out that at least some of the alleged Palestinian casualties were the result of a reckless Palestinian fire. They may have been the result of Israeli fire, we don't know. But the bottom line ... that again, just like we saw in Rafah about three months ago, Israeli civilians were held hostage by Palestinian civilians," he said.

When Humphrey suggested that the raid could jeopardize ceasefire talks with Hamas, Conricus stressed, "The ceasefire is not an aim to aspire to, but victory is what Israel aspires to. Victory in order to defend Israeli civilians back home. Victory in order to get the hostages back. And the ceasefire, in my humble opinion, is defeat for Israel and a victory for Hamas."

The BBC has a history of anti-Israel sentiment, with its reporters often accused of being slanted toward Hamas.

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IDF forces conducted a daring raid on Saturday in the Nuseirat Refugee Camp in the Gaza Strip culminating with the successful rescue of hostages held by Hamas since Oct. 7.

The raid took place in two separate apartments and under heavy fire from Palestinians, after actionable intelligence could be confirmed over the past several days.

Video: Noa Argamani reunited with her family / Credit: Courtesy

The hostages were Noa Argamani, Andrey Kozlov , Almog Meir Jan and Shlomi Ziv. All four were taken hostage during the deadly attack on the Nova Rave on Oct. 7 near Kibbutz Re'im.

One IDF soldier was hurt during the operation and was being treated for his severe injuries and later died from his wounds.

Video: The IDF announces the results of the operation / Credit:X/@idf

The IDF Spokesperson Daniel Hagari said multiple agencies and forces joined the IDF in the operation, including the Shin Bet security agency and the Israel Police's special counterterrorism unit, Yamam. The operation – at the heart of a civilian population – was in the works for weeks. Two helicopters were involved: The first for Noa Argamani and the second for the other three, while IDF forces were under constant fire.

Cheers on Tel Aviv beaches as the lifeguards announce the release of four hostages. This is the Israel I love. pic.twitter.com/cw9OeN1A7M

— Fania Oz-Salzberger פניה עוז-זלצברגר (@faniaoz) June 8, 2024

Argamani's horrific kidnapping on Oct. 7 was filmed by terrorists, who spread the disturbing footage showing here pleading "Don't kill me" as she was violently being held by on a motorcycle and outstretching her hand toward her boyfriend, who was also taken captive.

Before the news came out, the IDF made an announcement of a rare and intense military operation on Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a comprehensive assault on the central Gaza Strip's Nuseirat area. Palestinian reports indicate that the IDF was conducting attacks from air, sea, and land, resulting in numerous casualties.

Noa Argamani (25), Almog Meir Jan (21), Andrey Kozlov (27), and Shlomi Ziv (40) were rescued in a special operation by the IDF, ISA and Israel Police from 2 separate locations in the heart of Nuseirat after being kidnapped by Hamas from the Nova music festival.

They are in good… pic.twitter.com/PnkjL4GRQz

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 8, 2024

Hamas officials reported an extensive offensive that included bombardments from tanks, helicopters, drones, and fighter jets. According to these reports, dozens of Palestinians have been killed or injured in the attacks. Palestinian sources also claim that an IDF "special force" entered the Nuseirat market.

Earlier, an IDF spokesperson confirmed the operations, stating that "the IDF is targeting terrorist infrastructure in the area." Palestinian sources report at least 15 fatalities and dozens of injuries from the strikes, with additional casualties resulting from exchanges of fire between security forces and terrorists.

Arab media outlets also reported that Israeli security forces surrounded the Al-Daawa school in northern Nuseirat refugee camp, with intense gunfire exchanges being reported.

Several weeks ago Hamas released a recording in which Argamani's voice pleads with Israelis to protest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, accusing it of being willing to let the captives die. "Please, don't let Netanyahu and the government kill us," the voice says. "Save us. Time is running out," referring to the 125 hostage still being held.

In the video, Argamani addresses the people of Israel "Go out into the streets, men and women, block the streets of Tel Aviv, and don't go home until we return." Argamani's voice is also heard saying, "Do you support the Netanyahu Gallant and Gantz government?" referring to the three members of the War Cabinet: Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Minister without Portfolio Benny Gantz.

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