Four Israeli hostages who were abducted by Hamas terrorists from the Supernova music festival on October 7 were rescued by the Israel Defense Forces on Saturday morning.
Israeli special forces on the ground were supported by airstrikes as they raided two Hamas locations in central Gaza, rescuing three Israelis at one location and finding the fourth hostage at the second location, The Times of Israel reported. The hostages have been identified as Noa Argamani, 25; Almog Meir Jan, 21; Andrey Kozlov, 27; and Shlomi Ziv, 40. All four hostages are in good condition, according to the IDF.
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
“They are back home in Israel. They are alive; they are well,” said IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari. “They will undergo medical examination and will soon be reunited with their families in the hospital.”
The mission marks the most successful hostage rescue operation for the IDF since Hamas captured at least 250 people from Israel during its October 7 terrorist attack. In February, the IDF rescued two Israeli hostages — Fernando Marman, 61, and Louis Har, 71 — who were being held by Hamas in Rafah.
The rescue mission had been planned by the IDF for weeks, according to Hagari, who added that during the rescue operation, Israeli forces were under fire from Hamas while in the buildings and on their way out of Gaza with the hostages.
“They risked their lives to save the lives of our hostages. This is what we do in Israel,” he said.
Hagari added that the IDF will continue to fight to rescue the 120 hostages who still remain in Gaza, which include men, women, and children.
🔴Watch IDF Spokesperson RAdm. Daniel Hagari’s statement regarding our operation to bring Noa, Almog, Andrey and Shlomi back home: pic.twitter.com/Tt2wtE9121
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 8, 2024
Argamani’s abduction was filmed by Palestinian civilians, and the video went viral around the world, showing the 25-year-old woman being driven away on the back of a motorcycle as she called out for help. NBC News reported that it had “uncovered information indicating she may not have been kidnapped by Hamas, but was instead most likely abducted by a mob of Gazans that swept into Israel hours after the initial attack.”
The young woman was one of the subjects of two other videos released by Hamas that teased her “fate” as terrorists claimed to show the dead bodies of two other terrorists.
Hamas has killed 60 hostages since its October 7 attack, according to Israel. Only 19 of the bodies have been brought back to Israel from Gaza.
