An emotional event took place today (Tuesday) in the Gaza Strip when Farhan Al-Qadi, one of the Israeli captives in Gaza, was rescued by IDF and Shin Bet forces operating in the southern part of the Strip. Al-Qadi, 53 years old, was a resident of the Bedouin city of Rahat and was abducted on October 7th from the Magen moshav, where he worked as a guard at a packing house. Al-Qadi is married and the father of 11 children.
From what can be disclosed at this time, the captive was rescued by IDF fighters from the Shayetet 13 unit, the 401st Brigade, Yahalom, and Shin Bet operatives, under the command of the 162nd Division, in a complex rescue operation in the southern part of the Strip. Beyond this, details cannot be provided due to security concerns regarding our captives, our forces, and the state.
Al-Qadi is the eighth captive to be rescued by the IDF. As a reminder, the military pressure so far has led to the release of seven captives alive: the soldier Ori Megidish in October, two elderly captives (Fernando and Louis) in February, and four young captives (Noa, Shlomi, Almog, and Andrey) from Nuseirat in June, as part of ‘Operation Arnon’. Approximately 100 captives were released as part of the hostage deal in November, and several dozen bodies were recovered in various operations during the maneuver. In Gaza, 108 captives remain, a third of whom have been declared dead.
The IDF spokesperson stated that Al-Qadi’s medical condition is stable, and he is being transferred for further medical examinations at a hospital. His family has been informed of the details, and the IDF is providing them with support.
The families’ headquarters for returning the captives were happy to hear the news, stating: “The news of Farhan Al-Qadi’s return to Israel is a ray of light for the families of the captives and all of Israel in these difficult and tense days. We want to strengthen and thank the security forces that took part in the operation to bring him back.”
“However,” they continued, “it is important to remember that there are still 108 captives held by Hamas in Gaza, already for 326 days. The only safe way to bring them all back is through a deal – the living for rehabilitation, and the murdered and fallen for a proper burial.”
Meanwhile, negotiations for the release of the captives, mediated by Egypt and Qatar, continue. Israel is continuing to compromise and agree to further concessions (as long as they are not substantial or strategic), but Hamas is not showing a willingness to soften its positions or even to engage in negotiations. It is hoped that the decreased likelihood of a regional war in the coming months, following Israel’s successful preemptive strike against Lebanon, will help soften Hamas’s positions and advance the possibility of releasing a large portion of the remaining captives alive.
Al-Qadi’s brother, at the hospital, in an interview with Kan 11 offered wishes for all the families of hostages to experience the joy his family is feeling today.
