The Israeli military announced on Monday that it successfully conducted a special operation overnight in Rafah, a city in southern Gaza, resulting in the rescue of two hostages.
The hostages, identified as 60-year-old Fernando Simon Marman and 70-year-old Louis Har, were abducted 128 days ago during Hamas’ October 7th attack on Israel.
Both individuals hold dual Israel-Argentine nationality, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.
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The hostages, who are reported to be in good medical condition, have been transferred to Sheba Medical Center at Tel HaShomer, as confirmed by the Israel Defense Forces.
The operation was carried out jointly with the Israeli Security Agency and Israel Police.
Israeli Forces Extract Hostages Amid Hamas Resistance
The Israeli forces experienced resistance, and the hostages were escorted out under fire from Hamas before being taken to a safe location within Rafah for medical treatment, he said. They were then airlifted out of Gaza via helicopter.
The office of Argentina’s President Javier Milei commended Israel for the rescue and thanked the Israeli forces involved.
In a statement on X, formerly Twitter, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant praised what he called a “impressive release operation,” claiming to have followed the operation in the Command Center alongside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as well as other senior commanders.
Netanyahu Praise Israeli Forces After Hostage Release
Netanyahu issued a statement on Monday expressing satisfaction at the return of the two hostages and commending the actions of the Israeli forces.
He emphasized the necessity of maintaining military pressure until all hostages are freed.
Netanyahu has faced increasing pressure from the Israeli public to secure the release of captives in Gaza, with some families openly criticizing the government’s strategies.
According to Gallant, both hostages were abducted from the Nir Yitzhak kibbutz, which was one of several kibbutzim near the Gaza border targeted by Hamas militants during the October 7 attack, resulting in numerous casualties and hostages.
Hagari reported that following Monday’s rescue operation, there are now 134 hostages remaining in Gaza, with 130 of them being from the October 7 attack.
Among these, 29 have died, while 101 are presumed to be alive. The remaining four hostages were captured in Gaza before the October 7 assault.
Most of the hostages are held by Hamas, although there are reports that some are also detained by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Israel’s response to the Hamas attack has caused extensive devastation in Gaza, with the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry reporting a death toll exceeding 27,500 since October 7.