Israeli hostage Noa Argamani revealed she had not seen daylight for 245 days earlier than she was rescued in a daring raid by particular forces deep inside Gaza.
The 26-year-old, who was reunited together with her ecstatic household on Saturday, had turn into the face of the October 7 bloodbath after video emerged of her screaming ‘Do not kill me’ as she was kidnapped from a music pageant by Hamas terrorists on motorbikes.
However critical questions have been raised over the human price of the rescue mission – which additionally freed one other three captives – with the Hamas-run well being ministry claiming it left 274 individuals lifeless and 698 wounded.
Whereas it’s unclear what number of of those have been civilians, horrific photos from the aftermath of a gun battle throughout the raid within the Nuseirat space present scores of lifeless and wounded ladies and kids on the streets.
The fear group claims that the fatalities embrace three different hostages, one in every of whom holds US citizenship – which an Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spokesman dismissed as a ‘blatant lie’. The raid on Nuseirat was the most important hostage rescue mission for the reason that conflict started, and information of its success prompted wild celebrations throughout Israel.
Israeli hostage Noa Argamani being hugged by her father after being rescued by an Israeli particular operation
Ms Argamani assembly Israeli president Benjamin Netanyahu. The 26-year-old, who was reunited together with her ecstatic household on Saturday
The terrified hostage turned the face of the October 7 bloodbath after video emerged of her screaming ‘Do not kill me’ as she was kidnapped from a music pageant by Hamas terrorists on motorbikes
As an image was launched of the squalid room the place Noa was discovered, she has revealed she was held by a ‘well-to-do’ household however saved below armed guard, was hardly ever allowed to scrub and by no means noticed daylight as she was moved from home to deal with at evening whereas dressed as an Arab in a bid to evade detection.
Noa was saved together with 21-year-old Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov, 27, and Shlomi Ziv, 40, who have been additionally on the Nova Competition when Hamas militants struck in October. All are mentioned to be in ‘good medical situation’ however as a precaution are being saved at Sheba Medical Heart, close to Tel Aviv, for monitoring.
Noa’s good friend Amir Moadi, 29, mentioned: ‘She’s good – mentally good – and wholesome. However Noa misplaced a variety of buddies on October 7. I believe it is going to take time to know the whole lot. It seems like she’s in shock.
‘Due to all of the individuals round her now, she’s smiling and really glad. She advised us on the telephone earlier than we noticed her, ‘I am coming residence.’ Once you hear it from her, all our hearts melted.’
Mr Moadi hopes she will likely be discharged within the coming days. He mentioned: ‘I advised her it would not matter when, what, the place, we’ll be with you. We aren’t going to go away her – she goes to be with us in each second.’
Noa’s mom Liora, who’s terminally sick with stage-four mind most cancers, had beforehand mentioned she feared she would possibly by no means see her daughter once more.
After being reunited on Saturday, Professor Ronni Gamzu, the director of Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv the place she is being handled, mentioned he ‘believed that Liora understood’ her daughter was protected, including: ‘She merely could not categorical her emotions and say what she was actually ready to say to Noa.’
Describing the reunion yesterday, Noa’s father, Yaakov, mentioned: ‘Sadly her mom is in a really troublesome situation. They met, however it was very troublesome.’
Final evening European Union overseas coverage chief Josep Borrell mentioned the stories ‘of one other bloodbath of civilians are appalling,’ including: ‘The massacre should finish.’
In response, Israeli navy spokesman Peter Lerner hit out at Hamas for holding hostages in civilian areas and mentioned the IDF had been pressured to name in air assist after its squad ‘got here below hearth from 360 levels’.
Hamas has warned that situations will now worsen for the remaining captives. ‘The operation will pose a fantastic hazard [for] the prisoners and may have a unfavorable affect on their situations,’ spokesman Abu Obaida mentioned.
