Kidnapped By Hamas From Festival, Israeli Woman Freed After 245 Days
Israel Woman Freed After 245 Days: After being captive for 245 days, 26-year-old Noa Argamani, an Israeli citizen, was rescued by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and reunited with her family. Argamani was kidnapped by Hamas militants from the Nova music festival on October 7 last year. She endured a harrowing eight months in captivity with the terrifying thought that the militants could kill her at any time. When Hamas launched a land-sea-air attack on Israel and its militants infiltrated the borders, the Nova music festival quickly turned into a scene of chaos and terror. Argamani and her boyfriend, Avinatan Or, were taken hostage, and a viral footage showed her being forcibly taken into Gaza on the back of a motorcycle. The video of her went viral on the internet, drawing global attention to the Hamas attacks.
During her captivity, Argamani’s mother, who suffers from terminal brain cancer, deteriorated.
Today is Yaakov Argamani’s birthday.
This is the best birthday present any father could ever receive.
Happy Birthday Yaakov
— Israel ישראל (@Israel) June 8, 2024
In an eventful rescue on Saturday in the heart of Gaza, Nuseirat, the IDF pulled off a daring rescue operation. The successful operation witnessed Ms. Argamani and three other captives – Andrey Kozlov, Almog Meir Jan, and Shlomi Ziv – regaining their freedom. After the dramatic rescue, Ms. Argamani was rushed to a hospital in Tel Aviv for medical attention. It was here, at the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Centre, that she had a touching reunion with her mother while receiving treatment.
The 26-yrar-old father, Yaakov, described the reunion as the greatest birthday gift he could ever receive.
Israeli folks in their thousands gathered together in “Hostage Square”, which is in the heart of Tel Aviv, to both commemorate the rescue of a few hostages and to plea for the freedom of those still in captivity. It seems this square has become a beacon for expressions of unity and protest, especially after the events on October 7.
A total of 251 people were captured by Hamas, with a fortunate seven having been spirited away to safety by the Israeli military. Currently, 116 of them are still in Gaza, with a fear that about 41 might have already lost their lives.
