Israeli army rescues 52-year-old hostage abducted by Hamas

(Patria) - The Israeli army (IDF) announced yesterday that it rescued a hostage abducted by the Palestinian Hamas in the attack on Israel on October 7, reports RSE.

According to the announcement, soldiers rescued Israeli citizen of Arab origin Qaida Farhan Alkadi (52) in a complex operation in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.

🚁WATCH the first moments of rescued hostage Qaid Farhan Alkadi back on Israeli soil on his way to reunite with his family after 326 days in Hamas captivity. pic.twitter.com/XH0F6Qb8SV

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 27, 2024

"The army and Shin Bet, Israel's internal intelligence service, rescued hostage Qaida Farhan Alkadi, 52 years old, originally from Rahat, a Bedouin village in the Negev Desert," the statement said.

It was further announced that he was abducted by Hamas and taken to the Gaza Strip on October 7.

Militants led by Hamas abducted about 250 people in the attack on Israel on October 7, which killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, after which Israel retaliated with an attack on Hamas, which is in power in the Gaza Strip.

In Israel's retaliatory offensive, more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to local health officials. The offensive has displaced 90 percent of Gaza's 2.3 million inhabitants and caused extensive destruction across the besieged territory.

Hamas still holds about 110 hostages, of whom it is believed one-third are dead. Most of the others were released in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned in Israeli jails during a truce in November.

Israel has rescued a total of eight hostages, including two in operations in which dozens of Palestinians were killed. Hamas says several hostages were killed in Israeli airstrikes and failed rescue attempts.