Israeli Forces Recover Female Hostage From Gaza in ‘Daring’ Rescue Operation

In what is being described as a “daring” ground operation in Gaza, the Israeli Defense Forces freed an Israeli servicewoman from captivity Monday who had been held by Hamas terrorists in the territory since October 7.In a statement released by the IDF and the Shin Bet security service, Israeli officials say the woman in her 20s — a private in the country’s armed forces named Ori Megidish — was in good condition and has been reunited with her family. IDF officials would only say that she was rescued overnight Sunday, but would not reveal much more in order to avoid giving up operational tactics.Defense Minister Yoav Gallant called the rescue “proof” that Israel can recover its hostages from Gaza. “This is further proof of our ability to reach the hostages, the importance of the ground operation, and above all our commitment to each and every one of the hostages,” Mr. Gallant said. “The enemy is resisting, but the IDF forces operate with precision and determination, with cooperation between ground and air forces, and quality intelligence.”The announcement comes just hours after Hamas, in an act of what is being described as “cruel psychological propaganda,” released a video of three of the more than 220 other hostages being held in Gaza.In the video, which was released on Hamas’s social media channels, three women sit in a chair against a wall. One of them criticizes the Israeli prime minister and urges him to make a deal with the terrorists holding them. No other people are seen in the video and it is unclear whether they were being coerced into making the statement.“Hello, Bibi Netanyahu,” the woman says, referring to the prime minister. “We have been in Hamas captivity for 23 days. Yesterday, there was a press conference with the families of the hostages. We know that there was supposed to be a ceasefire. You were supposed to release all of us. You made a commitment to release all of us.” She accuses the prime minister of “screwing up” on October 7.“No military was there. Nobody came. Nobody heard us,” the hostage says in Hebrew, according to translations in the Israeli press. “Let us go. Let us go now… Let us return to our families now!”The three women were identified as Daniel Aloni, Rimon Kirsht and Yelena Tropanov by the prime minister’s office. Ms. Tropanov and Ms. Aloni were both kidnapped from the Nir Oz kibbutz, and Ms. Kirsht was abducted along with her husband from the Nirim kibbutz in southern Israel on October 7.In a statement released shortly after the video surfaced, Mr. Netanyahu’s office called the images a crude attempt at “cruel psychological propaganda” by Hamas and vowed to “do everything to return all the kidnapped and missing people home.”“I hug you,” Mr. Netanyahu said in the statement. “Our hearts go out to you and the other abductees.”

Israeli Forces Recover Female Hostage From Gaza in ‘Daring’ Rescue Operation

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