ALBAWABA - On Tuesday, the Israeli army confirmed the recovery of a Gaza hostage from a southern tunnel. Some reports say the hostage escaped, while others say he was found alone without guards.
The Israeli army said they "rescued the captive Farhan al-Qadi alive" and are taking him to Soroka Hospital for further treatment. Palestinian resistance organizations, who are fighting Israeli forces in Gaza for the 326th day, have not published a statement.
The military spokeswoman added, "We cannot disclose the details of the operation that led to the recovery of the captive." He said "108 individuals, including women, remain held in Gaza." He vowed that all prisoners are being brought back.
According to Reuters, the Israeli army recognized 52-year-old Bedouin Farhan al-Qadi from southern Israel, who was hospitalized in stable condition.
"We succeeded in rescuing the hostage Farhan al-Qadi, and we remain committed to seizing every opportunity to bring the captives back home," Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said of the army's "bold and decisive actions."
Netanyahu's office said he called with "the freed hostage to congratulate him," while the Israeli Prisoners' Organization stressed that a prisoner swap arrangement is the only safe and viable option to return all detainees.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid said, "We cannot bring back 108 captives from Gaza through special operations alone," and sought a compromise to return all captives immediately.
"Haaretz" reports that Farhan al-Qadi escaped his captors in a Gaza tunnel before being rescued by the Israeli army. According to the New York Times, Israeli authorities said al-Qadi was located by happenstance during a military operation targeting tunnels in southern Gaza by an Israeli commando team without guards.
The Israeli versions of Farhan al-Qadi's rescue, who had been held hostage in Gaza since October 7, were inconsistent, according to the Anadolu Agency.
Israeli media reported that al-Qadi escaped before the army found him, contradicting the official explanation. Social media users are debating the Israeli military's declaration and Hebrew media's inconsistent coverage.
