The Israeli military has successfully rescued four Israeli hostages from Gaza after a daring daytime operation. The hostages, Noa Argamani (25), Almog Meir Jan (21), Andrey Kozlov (27), and Shlomi Ziv (40), were kidnapped by Hamas during the Nova music festival on October 7. The military confirmed that the hostages were found in good medical condition after being rescued from two separate locations in the heart of Nuseirat in central Gaza.
This rare rescue comes after eight months of conflict with Palestinian Hamas militants in Gaza. During the October 7 attack, militants took a total of 251 hostages, with 116 still remaining in Palestinian territory. The army has reported that 41 of the hostages are deceased.
In response to the rescue operation, the Israeli military targeted terrorist infrastructure in the area of Nuseirat. However, Gaza hospitals reported at least 15 casualties from Israeli strikes in central areas of the territory, including Nuseirat camp.
Hamas has condemned the Israeli aggression, stating that dozens of martyrs and wounded individuals are scattered throughout the streets. Social media footage showed thick plumes of smoke rising from buildings in Nuseirat as a result of the conflict.
This successful rescue mission follows a previous operation in February that freed two hostages but resulted in heavy casualties in southern Gaza. The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas continues to escalate, with both sides facing significant losses.