Israel says it safely rescued four hostages that were captured by Hamas during the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks.
The IDF said the hostages, three men and one woman, were rescued in the largest such hostage recovery operation since the war with Hamas began in Gaza.
Noa Argamani, 26, Almog Meir Jan, 22, Shlomi Ziv, 41, and Andrey Kozlov, 27, were rescued in two separate locations in a complex special daytime operation in the heart of Nuseirat in central Gaza. They had been held in captivity by the terrorist group for 246 days.
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Argamani has been one of the most widely recognized hostages since she was abducted from a music festival in southern Israel. The video of her abduction was among the first to surface, images of her horrified face widely shared — Argamani detained between two men on a motorcycle, one arm outstretched and the other held down as she screams "Don’t kill me!"
Her mother, Liora, has stage four brain cancer and in April released a video pleading to see her daughter before she dies.
There are still 120 Israeli hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza. Forty-three of them have been declared dead and their bodies are still held by Hamas.
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"Noa, Almog, Andrey and Shlomi - we are overjoyed to have you home," Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant said in a statement.
"Our troops conducted a heroic operation to rescue four hostages held by Hamas, and brought them home to Israel."
"I followed the complex operation from the command and control center - IDF, ISA and Special Forces operated with extraordinary courage under heavy fire, and succeeded in completing their mission. Israel’s defense establishment will continue fighting until 120 hostages return home."
The Hostages Families Forum Headquarters welcomed the news and praised the Israeli government.
"The heroic operation by the IDF that freed and brought home Noa Argamani, Shlomi Ziv, Andrey Kozlov, and Almog Meir Jan is a miraculous triumph," a statement by the group reads.
"Now, with the joy that is washing over Israel, the Israeli government must remember its commitment to bring back all 120 hostages still held by Hamas - the living for rehabilitation, the murdered for burial."
"We continue to call upon the international community to apply the necessary pressure on Hamas to accept the proposed deal and release the other 120 hostages held in captivity; every day there is a day too far."
Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari of the Israeli Defense Forces said it was a "high-risk, complex mission" to rescue the hostages, which took place at around 11 a.m. local time.
"While under fire in the buildings and under fire on the way out from Gaza our forces rescued our hostages," Hagari said. "Israeli forces have been preparing for this rescue mission for weeks… they risked their lives to save the lives of our hostages. This is what we do in Israel."
He said Israel will not stop until all the hostages are rescued.
Hagari said the four have been taken to hospital for medical examination and will soon be reunited with their families.
"They are back home in Israel, they are alive, they are well."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
