Israel rescues Bedouin hostage held by Hamas in Gaza

The Israeli army says commandos have rescued from an underground tunnel in Gaza a Bedouin Arab hostage who was kidnapped by Hamas in the course of the 7 October assault on Israel.

Kaid Farhan Elkadi, 52, was rescued in a “complicated operation within the southern Gaza Strip” by the Israel Protection Forces (IDF) and Shin Wager home safety service, in keeping with an announcement.

No additional particulars could possibly be revealed “because of issues of the security of our hostages, the safety of our forces, and nationwide safety”, it stated.

Mr Elkadi – the eighth hostage rescued by Israeli forces because the begin of the conflict in Gaza – is in a steady situation in hospital, the place he’s present process examinations.

Images launched by the Soroka Medical Middle in Beersheba confirmed him talking to members of his household whereas sitting in a hospital armchair.

Israel’s Haaretz newspaper reported that he managed to flee his captors earlier than being rescued, and that the troopers tried to grasp whether or not he had been held with different hostages.

Mr Elkadi’s brother, Hatam, informed Haaretz that he was “slightly skinny”.

“We informed him that every little thing is ok and that everybody is ready for him exterior,” he stated.

“We have been ready for this second for a very long time. We hope that every one hostages will get this second, that they’ll all expertise the identical pleasure and pleasure,” he added. “Could all of the hostages return, and will all of the households really feel this sense.”

Mr Elkadi, a father of 11 and grandfather of 1, is from a Bedouin village within the Rahat space of the Negev desert.

He labored for a few years as a safety guard at Kibbutz Magen, near the Israel-Gaza border, the place he was kidnapped 10 months in the past.

IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari stated in a video announcement that he couldn’t go into many particulars concerning the operation wherein he was freed.

However he added that he may “share that Israeli commandos rescued [him] from an underground tunnel, following correct intelligence”.

Footage launched by the IDF confirmed Mr Elkadi sitting down, smiling and talking to troopers, together with the commander of the 162nd Division, moments after his rescue.

A senior Israeli army official confirmed that troops have been working in “a fancy underground system the place hostages have been suspected to be held”.

Mr Elkadi was alone within the tunnel when he was discovered by Israeli troops when he was rescued, the official added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace stated he had congratulated Mr Elkadi in a phone name and informed him that every one Israelis have been moved by the information.

“We’re working relentlessly to return all of our hostages,” the assertion quoted Mr Netanyahu as saying.

“We’re doing this in two primary methods: negotiations and rescue operations. The 2 of those collectively require our army presence on the bottom, and fixed army stress.”

The Hostages and Lacking Households Discussion board described the rescue as “miraculous”.

But it surely careworn that “army operations alone can’t free the remaining hostages who’ve suffered 326 days of abuse and terror”, and that “a negotiated deal is the one means ahead”.

“We urgently name on the worldwide group to take care of stress on Hamas to just accept the proposed deal and launch all hostages.”

The Israeli army launched a marketing campaign to destroy Hamas in response to the unprecedented assault on southern Israel on 7 October, throughout which about 1,200 folks have been killed and 251 others have been taken hostage.

Greater than 40,430 folks have been killed in Gaza since then, in keeping with the territory’s Hamas-run well being ministry.

US, Egyptian and Qatari mediators try to dealer a ceasefire deal that might see Hamas launch the 104 hostages nonetheless being held, together with 34 who’re presumed lifeless, in change for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

Oblique talks have continued in Cairo in latest days, however up to now there was no signal of a breakthrough over key sticking factors. They embrace Mr Netanyahu’s demand that Israel preserve troops alongside Gaza’s border with Egypt, which Hamas has rejected.

Two different Bedouin Arabs – Yousef Zyadna and his son, Hamza – are among the many remaining hostages who’re nonetheless alive, whereas the physique of a 3rd, Mhamad el-Atrash, continues to be being held by Hamas.

One other Bedouin, Hisham al-Sayed, has been held captive in Gaza since 2015.