IDF Rescues Hamas Hostage and Father of 11 from Gaza Tunnel

An Israeli hostage held by Hamas, 52-year-old Qaid Farhan Alkadi, was successfully rescued by special forces from a tunnel in southern Gaza on Tuesday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed.

Qaid Farhan Alkadi, 52, was found in a tunnel in Mahrat during a “complex rescue operation,” according to the Israeli military. via REUTERS

Alkadi, who was kidnapped on October 7, was discovered in a tunnel in Mahrat during a “complex rescue operation.”

Alkadi, a father of 11 from the Bedouin Arab community, was saved by soldiers from the 13th Fleet Unit, the 401st Brigade, Yalam, and Shin Bet operatives. A post-rescue image showed Alkadi in a hospital gown alongside a beaming relative, indicating his safe return.

Following the rescue, N12 filmed Alkadi’s family rushing to embrace him at Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba. His brother expressed overwhelming joy, comparing the feeling to the arrival of a new baby. The IDF reported that Alkadi appeared in good health, though he underwent further medical tests.

Alkadi, a father of 11 from the Bedouin Arab community, was rescued by IDF soldiers from the 13th Fleet Unit, 401st Brigade, as well as Yalam and Shin Bet fighters, the military said. REUTERS

Details of the rescue operation remain undisclosed due to security concerns for the remaining hostages and the special forces involved.

Alkadi was abducted by Hamas from Mivtahim, near his workplace at a packing factory in Kibbutz Magen, and hails from the Bedouin community near Rahat in southern Israel.

“I can’t explain this feeling; it’s better even than the arrival of a new baby,” one of Alkadi’s brothers gushed. REUTERS

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant praised the operation, describing it as part of the IDF’s “daring and courageous activities conducted deep inside the Gaza Strip.” Currently, Hamas is believed to be holding 104 of the original 251 hostages taken during the October 7 attack, including the bodies of 34 confirmed dead.

IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi emphasized the ongoing efforts to rescue all abductees, commending the bravery of the IDF and Shin Bet forces.

The brother of freed hostage Qaid Farhan Alkadi shared this image of him at the Soroka Medical Center in southern Israel on August 27, 2024. AFP via Getty Images

The Hostage Families Forum also celebrated Alkadi’s return but stressed the need for negotiated solutions to secure the release of the remaining hostages.

Qaid Farhan Alkadi, 52, who was kidnapped on Oct. 7. Hostages and Missing Families Forum

Alkadi’s rescue marks the fourth successful operation to recover a living Israeli hostage from Gaza. Notably, he is the first to be rescued from Gaza’s extensive tunnel network; previous rescues involved hostages found above ground.

Alkadi is a father of 11 from the Bedouin Arab community. Hostages and Missing Families Forum

The rescue comes amid growing criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by the families of the hostages, who accuse his government of neglecting their plight during the ongoing conflict.

An image released by the Israeli army on Aug. 23, 2024, shows an operation to dismantle a tunnel in the Gaza Strip. Israeli Army/AFP via Getty Images

Members of the Israeli forces work to dismantle a tunnel in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on Aug. 23, 2024. Israeli Army/AFP via Getty Images

Meanwhile, cease-fire talks between Israel and Hamas in Cairo, involving CIA Director William Burns and Mossad chief David Barnea, ended without a resolution.

Hamas representatives did not directly participate in the negotiations but were briefed by Egyptian and Qatari mediators.