Israeli forces successfully rescued four captives who had been abducted during a desert rave near the border in the Gaza Strip. The hostages were taken during Hamas' assault into Israel on Oct. 7, with one of them, Noa Argamani, emerging as a symbol of the ongoing hostage crisis.
Argamani, 25, was featured in several videos that depicted the distressing journey of their captivity. In one video, she was seen being forced onto a motorbike by assailants alongside her boyfriend, Avinatan Or, whose whereabouts remain unknown. Another video released by Hamas showed her looking frail and speaking about other hostages being killed in airstrikes.
In a heart-wrenching plea, Argamani's mother, who is battling stage four brain cancer, begged for her daughter's release so she could see her one last time. After eight months in captivity, Israeli forces rescued Argamani and three other men who were kidnapped from the Tribe of Nova music festival, where over 350 people were killed in a tragic massacre.
Among the rescued hostages were Almog Meir Jan, a 21-year-old who had recently completed his army service, Andrey Kozlov, a 27-year-old security guard who had immigrated to Israel alone, and Shlomi Ziv, a 40-year-old usher from a farming community.
Argamani, a computer science student, had been dating Or and was described as a vibrant individual who enjoyed parties and traveling. The rescue operation took place amidst a significant Israeli offensive in central Gaza that resulted in casualties among Palestinians.
Since the Oct. 7 attack, Hamas and other militants have killed numerous individuals and captured around 250 hostages. Israeli authorities estimate that approximately 120 hostages are still being held, with some pronounced dead. The conflict has claimed over 36,700 Palestinian lives, with ongoing efforts to secure the release of remaining hostages.
For more updates on the situation in Gaza, visit AP's coverage.
