In a daring and complex operation, the Israeli military has successfully rescued Kaid Farhan Elkadi, a Bedouin Arab hostage held by Hamas in Gaza. Elkadi, aged 52, was kidnapped during the deadly October 7 attack on Israel, which left a profound impact on the region. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Shin Bet domestic security service collaborated in the rescue mission, which took place in the southern Gaza Strip, focusing on an underground tunnel where Elkadi was held.
The operation’s specific details have been kept confidential, with Israeli authorities citing concerns for the safety of other hostages, the security of their forces, and national security as the reasons for this discretion. However, it was confirmed that Elkadi, the eighth hostage rescued by Israeli forces since the onset of the war in Gaza, is currently in stable condition and undergoing medical examinations at Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba. Photographs released from the hospital show Elkadi speaking with family members while sitting in a hospital armchair, bringing a sense of relief to his loved ones.
According to reports from Israel’s Haaretz newspaper, Elkadi managed to escape from his captors before being rescued by Israeli commandos. During the rescue, efforts were made to determine if he had been held alongside other hostages. Elkadi’s brother, Hatam, described him as appearing “a little thin” but expressed immense joy at his safe return. “We told him that everything is fine and that everyone is waiting for him outside,” Hatam said. “We’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time. We hope that all hostages will get this moment, that they will all experience the same excitement and joy. May all the hostages return, and may all the families feel this feeling.”
Elkadi, a father of eleven and grandfather of one, hails from a Bedouin village in the Rahat area of the Negev desert. He had worked for years as a security guard at Kibbutz Magen, near the Israel-Gaza border, before being abducted ten months ago. Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, an IDF spokesperson, provided limited details in a video announcement but highlighted the precision and coordination involved in the rescue. He acknowledged that Israeli commandos, guided by accurate intelligence, located and rescued Elkadi from an underground tunnel.
Footage released by the IDF showed Elkadi moments after his rescue, smiling and conversing with soldiers, including the commander of the 162nd Division. Senior Israeli military officials confirmed that the rescue operation took place in a “complex underground system” where hostages were suspected to be held, but noted that Elkadi was alone when found by the troops.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu personally congratulated Elkadi in a phone call, expressing the collective joy felt by Israelis upon hearing the news. Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to securing the release of all hostages, emphasizing that efforts involve both negotiations and rescue operations. “We are doing this in two main ways: negotiations and rescue operations. The two of these together require our military presence on the ground, and constant military pressure,” Netanyahu said in a statement.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum welcomed Elkadi’s rescue, describing it as “miraculous.” However, they cautioned that military operations alone may not suffice to free the remaining hostages, who have endured months of captivity under severe conditions. They stressed that a negotiated deal remains the most viable path forward and called on the international community to increase pressure on Hamas to accept such proposals and release all hostages.
The current conflict began following a devastating attack on southern Israel by Hamas on October 7, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the abduction of 251 others. Since then, more than 40,430 people have reportedly been killed in Gaza, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.
Efforts to broker a ceasefire continue, with US, Egyptian, and Qatari mediators involved in indirect negotiations aimed at securing the release of the 104 remaining hostages, including 34 believed to be deceased, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. Despite ongoing talks in Cairo, significant obstacles remain, including disagreements over Israeli demands to maintain a troop presence along Gaza’s border with Egypt, a condition Hamas has so far rejected.
Among the remaining hostages are two other Bedouin Arabs, Yousef Zyadna and his son, Hamza, who are believed to be alive. The body of a third Bedouin, Mhamad el-Atrash, is still in Hamas’s possession. Another Bedouin, Hisham al-Sayed, has been held captive in Gaza since 2015. As the Israeli military continues its campaign against Hamas, the fate of these hostages remains a critical concern, with hopes pinned on both diplomatic and military efforts to secure their safe return.
