Israel successfully rescued four hostages this morning from Gaza in a special military operation. The hostages, who were kidnapped by Hamas during the Nova music festival attacks eight months ago, include Almag Mayer Jean, Noah Argamani, Andrei Kozlov, and Shlomi Ziv. Andrei and Shlomi were working as security guards at the festival, while Noah was famously seen in a video from the attacks.
The rescue mission took place at two locations in central Gaza near a refugee camp. Reports from Gaza indicate heavy casualties, with at least 210 people killed and over 400 injured, including women and children. However, these numbers have not been independently verified.
Following the rescue, the hostages were taken to a medical center in Tel Aviv, where they were reported to be in stable condition. Friends and family gathered outside the hospital to welcome them home after their long captivity.
While expressing gratitude for the successful mission, families of the hostages emphasized the need to rescue the remaining 120 hostages still held. Calls for a ceasefire deal to secure the release of all hostages have been growing.
The rescue operation was meticulously planned by the Israeli military, security agencies, and police based on weeks of intelligence gathering. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the mission on Thursday night. The operation involved building replicas of the buildings where the hostages were held to train for their extraction.
Israeli officials clarified that the hostages were not held in civilian areas, and the operation may not be replicable for other hostages in similar situations. The successful rescue has sparked hope for the safe return of all remaining hostages and renewed calls for a ceasefire and hostage deal.
