The Israeli army said this and two other Israeli groups carried out a special operation on Saturday, rescuing four hostages.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Israel Police and the Israel Securities Authority rescued Noa Argamani, 25, Almong Meir Jan, 21, Andrey Kozlov, 27, and Shlomi Ziv, 40, the IDF said in a joint statement with the Israeli Security Service and the Israel Police.
The agencies rescued the hostages in a special operation from two separate locations in Nuseirat in central Gaza. All four hostages were kidnapped by Hamas from the Nova music festival, the IDF said.
“They are in good medical condition and have been transferred to the “Sheba” Tel-HaShomer Medical Center for further medical examination,” the IDF said.
The operation is the largest recovery of living hostages since the war began, bringing the total number of prisoners rescued to seven people, The Associated Press reported.
Those rescued on Saturday were among more than 200 people kidnapped by Hamas on October 7.
“We will continue to do everything we can to bring the hostages home,” the IDF said.
The Hostages Families Forum, a group representing many families of hostages held by Hamas, said in a statement that joy is washing over Israel, but that the government must remember its pledge to send home all hostages, living or dead. to take.
“We continue to call on the international community to exert the necessary pressure on Hamas to accept the proposed deal and release the other 120 hostages held in captivity; every day is a day too long,” the statement said.
Since the October 7 attack, the IDF has launched a deadly and destructive counter-offensive in an attempt to eliminate Hamas and recover the hostages. More than 36,000 Palestinians have died as a result of the conflict, the Gaza Health Ministry reports.
International pressure against Israel is mounting, urging the country to halt its invasion of the southern city of Rafah, where hundreds of thousands of people are taking refuge. The IDF claims that Rafah is Hamas’s last stronghold.
Updated at 8:39 a.m. ET.
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