Israel rescues Bedouin hostage from tunnel in Khan Yunis after 326 days in captivity
Qaid Farhan Alkadi, 52, rescued from tunnel in Gaza; Bedouin father of 11 was a security guard on Oct. 7
A hostage kidnapped by Hamas on 7 October has been rescued by Israeli forces after 326 days in captivity.
The IDF and ISA confirmed that 52-year old Qaid Farhan Alkadi, a father of 11 abducted from Kibbutz Magen on Black Shabbat, was extracted by Shayetet 13, the 401st Brigade, Yahalom, and ISA forces under the command of the 162nd Division in a complex operation in the southern Gaza Strip.
Alkadi is from the Israeli Arab Bedouin city of Rahat and worked at the kibbutz’s packing house.
In a public statement, the security forces added that “no further details can be published due to considerations of the safety of our hostages, the security of our forces, and national security” and said Alkadi “is in a stable medical condition and is being transferred for medical checks at a hospital. His family has been updated with the details, and the IDF is accompanying them.”
Israeli security forces will continue to operate with all means to bring home the hostages.
The Hostages Families Forum said: “Kaid’s return home is nothing short of miraculous. However, we must remember: military operations alone cannot free the remaining 108 hostages, who have suffered 326 days of abuse and terror. A negotiated deal is the only way forward. We urgently call on the international community to maintain pressure on Hamas to accept the proposed deal and release all hostages. Every single day in captivity is one too many. The remaining hostages cannot afford to wait for another such miracle.”
In December, al-Qadi’s brother and son traveled to Los Angeles to speak in front of a mural painted to raise awareness of the hostages. While there, they met with local officials and Muslim leaders to press for the hostages’ release. While he was in captivity, he had a grandson born to him.
“I can’t explain this feeling, it’s better even than the arrival of a new baby,” one of his brothers told Israeli media on Tuesday. “Thank God, we are thankful to everyone and we hope to see him soon healthy. We’re so happy, very happy to get this news.”
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