Israel rescues hostage from Gaza tunnel

Jerusalem, August 27

Israeli special forces have recovered an Israeli hostage from a tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip in “a complex rescue operation”, the military said on Tuesday, more than 10 months after he was abducted by Hamas-led gunmen on October 7.

It said 52-year-old Qaid Farhan Alkadi, a member of the Bedouin community in southern Israel, had been transferred to hospital and his condition was stable. Military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said Alkadi had been rescued in an underground tunnel but gave no details of the operation, citing the security of the remaining hostages and Israeli forces.

PM Benjamin Netanyahu, who said he had spoken with Alkadi, commended the troops for the rescue and said Israel would work “tirelessly” for the return of all the hostages. “We do this in two main ways: through negotiations and rescue operations. Both ways together require our military presence in the field, and unceasing military pressure on Hamas,” he said.

President Isaac Herzog said the rescue was “a moment of joy for the State of Israel and Israeli society as a whole”.