Israel’s military has successfully rescued a 52-year-old hostage, Qaid Farhan Alkadi, who was kidnapped by Hamas on 7 October. He was found in a stable medical condition and is undergoing medical checks at a hospital. Alkadi had been captive for 326 days in Gaza. The Hostages Families Forum called his return home “miraculous”. Alkadi, a security guard at a packing factory, is from the Bedouin community and has two wives and 11 children.
The IDF, from where he was rescued, says they used accurate intelligence to locate him in an underground tunnel. They are determined to continue efforts to bring back other hostages held by Hamas. Around 108 hostages are believed to still be held, with some prisoners released during a ceasefire last November. Efforts in negotiating a hostage deal are hindered by US, Egypt, and Qatar negotiations.
The ongoing conflict stems from Israel’s continued presence in Gaza, which Hamas wants to end, while Israel seeks security and strategic reasons to maintain forces. Disagreements over Israeli withdrawal are preventing successful talks. Israel has also issued evacuation orders across Gaza as they fight against Hamas fighters. The current offensive since 7 October has resulted in over 40,000 Palestinian deaths, with many displaced individuals living in Khan Younis and Deir al Balah.
The operation to rescue Alkadi follows the recent recovery of six hostages’ bodies in Gaza. Negotiations are ongoing but are at a lower level than before, with key issues including the presence of Israeli forces in Gaza and Hamas’s demand for withdrawal for a ceasefire agreement to be reached.
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