Israeli citizen Noa Argamani, 26, has been freed by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) after being held captive by Hamas for 245 days. Ms. Argamani was kidnapped from the Nova music festival on October 7 last year and endured eight months in captivity before her rescue on Saturday.
The Nova music festival, initially a vibrant event, turned into chaos when Hamas launched a coordinated land-sea-air attack on Israel. Ms. Argamani and her boyfriend, Avinatan Or, were taken hostage amid the violence. A viral video captured Ms. Argamani being forcibly taken into Gaza on the back of a motorcycle, crying out in desperation.
During her captivity in Gaza, Ms. Argamani’s mother, Liora, who suffers from terminal brain cancer, saw her health deteriorate. The IDF’s rescue operation took place in Nuseirat in central Gaza, also freeing three other hostages: Andrey Kozlov, Almog Meir Jan, and Shlomi Ziv.
After her rescue, Ms. Argamani was taken to Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Centre, where she reunited with her mother. Her father, Yaakov, described the reunion as the greatest birthday gift he could ever receive.
Thousands of Israelis gathered in “Hostage Square” in central Tel Aviv to celebrate the rescue and demand the release of the remaining hostages. The square has become a center for demonstrations and solidarity since the October 7 attacks.
Out of 251 people seized by Hamas, seven have been freed alive by Israeli forces. There are currently 116 hostages still in Gaza, including 41 believed to be dead.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog personally congratulated Ms. Argamani on her safe return. Prime Minister Netanyahu reassured her in an emotional phone call, stating, “We never gave up on you for a moment. I don’t know if you believed in it, but we believed, and I am glad it came true.”
The conflict, the deadliest in Gaza’s history, began with the October 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel, resulting in 1,189 Israeli deaths and 252 hostages taken. Israel’s response has been relentless, with the Gaza Health Ministry reporting over 36,801 deaths, mostly civilians.
