There are conversations about the moment
Israel rescued a hostage from an underground tunnel and released one of the eight abducted in Gaza during the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas
JERUSALEM — Israel said it rescued a hostage from an underground tunnel in Gaza on Tuesday, freeing one of the scores of people abducted during the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas that ignited the war in Gaza.
Israel’s military spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said Alkadi was “rescued from an underground tunnel following accurate intelligence.” Alkadi was held in a number of locations, including in underground tunnels, during his 326 days in captivity, Hagari said.
Alkadi was among eight people from the Arab Bedouin minority who were kidnapped. He was working as a guard at a packing factory in Kibbutz Magen, one of several farming communities that came under attack. He is married to two people and has 11 children.
One of Alkadi’s brothers held Alkadi’s baby while the family waited in the hospital to meet him.
Faez talked to Channel 12 and said that they are so excited to hug him and tell him we are all here with him. I hope that every hostage comes home to bring happiness to the families.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the rescue operation was part of the army’s “daring and courageous activities conducted deep inside the Gaza Strip,” adding that Israel is “committed to taking advantage of every opportunity to return the hostages.”
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with Alkadi by phone soon after he arrived at the hospital. Israel would rely on rescue operations and negotiations to bring the remaining hostages home.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed over 40,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, who do not say how many were militants. It has caused a lot of destruction in the area and forced people out of their homes.
Israeli airstrikes continued on Tuesday across the Gaza Strip, and Palestinian officials said at least 18 people, including eight children, were killed in the attacks.
Two previous Israeli operations to free hostages killed scores of Palestinians. According to Hamas, several hostages have died in Israeli attacks. Three Israelis were killed by Israeli troops in December.
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Mazen Abu Siam, a close family friend waiting at the hospital, said the family was overjoyed to hear the news, but they were still praying for a cease-fire.
The United States, Egypt and Saudi Arabia have been working to broker a deal in which the remaining hostages would be released in exchange for a cease-fire. There has been no breakthrough in this week’s talks in Egypt.
The Israeli public and families of the hostages have criticized Netanyahu for not yet making a deal with Hamas to bring them home.
Hamas hopes to trade the hostages for a lasting cease-fire, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and the release of a large number of Palestinian prisoners, including high-profile militants.
A deal seemed tantalizingly close at the end of May, when President Biden reported progress toward a phased cease-fire that would lead to the liberation of all remaining hostages and end the grueling fight that has taken more than 40,000 Palestinian lives. Since then, Netanyahu and Sinwar have put barriers in the way of a deal with each other, with Netanyahu insisting that Hamas be wiped out and Sinwar saying that he would accept only a brief halt to hostilities. Last week Secretary of State Antony Blinken, told reporters that a bridging proposal offered by Washington was probably the best — and possibly the last — opportunity for a deal. There were no talks on Sunday in Cairo.
Al-Qadi did not join the debate as he profusely thanked those responsible for his liberation. But in a meeting with the Israeli president, Isaac Herzog, al-Qadi urged the government “to do everything to bring people home.”