Following the successful rescue of four hostages from Hamas captivity, Israel’s President Isaac Herzog expressed gratitude, stating they were emotional upon learning of the hostages’ reunion with their families.
“We received with tears in our eyes the very moving news about the rescue from the captivity of Noa Argamani, Almog Meir, Andrey Kozlov, and Shlomi Ziv, who were kidnapped on October 7th from the party in Ra’i and who were finally reunited with their loved ones,” said President Herzog.
He also thanked the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), the Shin Bet, the Israel Police, and all involved for their impressive and daring rescue operation. He expressed hope for the swift return of all abducted individuals to their families, concluding with the phrase “Israel Lives!”
Additionally, President Herzog shared a video of one of the recently rescued hostages, expressing joy at their return home.
IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari spoke about the operation, emphasizing that while they are happy about the return of the four hostages, they remain focused on the 120 hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza. He reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to bringing all hostages home and stated that any decent country would do the same.
Hagari disclosed details of the operation, describing it as high-risk and complex, based on precise intelligence and conducted in daylight. He praised the Israeli forces for their intensive training and courage in risking their lives to save the hostages, highlighting the nation’s commitment to such rescue missions.
The rescue operation took place at 11 am, resulting in the successful extraction of the hostages from Hamas captivity after 246 days, following their abduction from the Nova Musical Festival on October 7.
