Israeli Hostages Rescued: Military Operation Brings Home 4 Held since October 7th

The Israeli military reported that it rescued four hostages held since October during a raid in the central Gaza Strip on Saturday, while Palestinian officials stated that an Israeli attack in the same area resulted in more than 50 fatalities.

It remains unclear whether the hostage rescue and the deadly assault were part of the same operation, but both incidents occurred in al-Nuseirat, a frequently contested area in the ongoing eight-month war between Israel and Gaza’s ruling Hamas.

The Israeli hostages rescued were identified by the military as Noa Argamani, 25, Almog Meir Jan, 21, Andrey Kozlov, 27, and Shlomi Ziv, 40.

They were taken to a hospital for medical checks and were reported to be in good health, as reported by Reuters.

These individuals were among those kidnapped from the Nova music festival during a deadly raid by Hamas militants on Israeli towns and villages near Gaza on October 7th.

This attack triggered the current conflict in the Hamas-controlled enclave. According to Israeli authorities, the Hamas raid resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people, and the subsequent Israeli bombardment and invasion of Gaza has led to at least 36,801 Palestinian deaths, as reported by Gaza’s health ministry on Saturday.

On October 7th, Palestinian militants abducted around 250 hostages and brought them back to Gaza.

As per Israeli tallies, 116 hostages remain in Gaza, including at least 40 who have been declared dead by Israeli authorities.

Israeli News 12 broadcast footage showing Noa Argamani reuniting with her father, smiling and embracing him. A video of Argamani’s kidnapping, showing her being dragged into Gaza by gunmen on October 7h, had circulated soon after the event.

Earlier on Saturday, the Israeli military announced it was targeting militant infrastructure in al-Nuseirat, a notable disclosure as it typically does not report on operations while they are still in progress. Al-Nuseirat, a historic Palestinian refugee camp, has endured heavy Israeli bombing during the war, with intense ground fighting reported in its eastern areas.

The Gaza health ministry reported on Saturday that Israeli military assaults in al-Nuseirat had resulted in numerous casualties, including women and children.

While the ministry did not specify how many of the fatalities were combatants, a health ministry official stated that the death toll exceeded 50.

Emergency response teams were attempting to transport the dead and wounded to a hospital in the nearby city of Deir al-Balah, but many bodies remained in the streets, particularly around a market district. Local residents described heavy Israeli drone and airstrikes in al-Nuseirat, with fatalities including women and children.

Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari explained that the rescue operation took place under fire in a residential neighborhood where Hamas had been holding captives among Gaza civilians, guarded by militants.

During a televised news conference, Hagari noted that one Israeli soldier was seriously injured. Israeli forces returned fire, including conducting airstrikes.

The Gaza conflict continues unabated despite calls from Israel’s chief ally, the United States, for a ceasefire and an agreement to release the remaining hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned in Israel.

The war has destabilised the broader Middle East, involving Hamas’s main backer Iran and its heavily armed Lebanese ally Hezbollah, with whom Israeli officials have threatened conflict on Israel’s northern border.

Recently in Brussels, families of the hostages, including Mazy Zafrani, the aunt of 26-year-old Noa Argamani, spoke with journalists.

She said, “Noa has endured 234 days in captivity. Her mother’s health is deteriorating rapidly, and her deepest desire is to reunite with her daughter, if only for an hour, to share a hug and be by her side.”

Her prayers appear to have been answered.