Israel Frees Soldier Held By Hamas As Hamas Releases Hostages Video
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
JERUSALEM/GAZA (Worthy News) – Israel says its military has freed an Israeli soldier held in Gaza by Hamas.
Private Ori Megedish “was rescued” during the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) operation in Gaza on Monday night local time, the IDF and security service Shin Bet said in a joint statement.
She was kidnapped by “the Hamas terrorists on October 7” and has now been reunited with her family, Israeli sources said.
“The soldier was medically examined, her condition is good, and she met with her family,” they added. It wasn’t immediately clear how she was rescued, but Israeli troops killed “dozens of terrorists” overnight, the IDF said.
The IDF and Shin Bet pledged to continue to make “every effort” to secure the freedom of the remaining more than 230 hostages believed to be held by Hamas since October 7, when its gunmen also killed 1,400 people in Israel.
Monday’s rescue came while Hamas released a short video clip Monday showing three of the hostages held in Gaza.
One of the three women, named as Daniel Aloni, directly addressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, deriding him for failing to prevent Hamas’ attack and for not securing the release of captives, the video showed. The woman, who viewers said was likely pressured by Hamas, could be seen telling Netanyahu: “You promised to free us all. Instead, we bear your political and military failure.”
KIDNAPPED WITH DAUGHTER
Aloni was kidnapped with her daughter as they visited family at Kibbutz Nir Oz, which was the scene of one of the Hamas terror attacks on October 7. She referred to “a mistake” that Israel’s leaders made on Saturday, October 7, dubbed Black Sabbath, as Hamas fighters massacred many, including men, women, and children.
“Want to kill us all? Do you want to kill us all with an army? Release us now, she shouted,” alluding to Hamas’ suggestion that it could free all of its hostages in exchange for the release of roughly 6,000 Hamas members in Israeli prisons. “Release their prisoners. Set us all free. Let us return to our families!” Aloni said, becoming increasingly emotional before screaming into the camera: “Now! Now!”
Netanyahu’s office condemned the clip as “cruel psychological propaganda” by Hamas and vowed to “do everything to return all the kidnapped and missing people home.”
It published a statement attributed to Netanyahu, saying: “I turn to Yelena Trupanov, Daniel Aloni and Ramon Kirsht who were kidnapped by Hamas which commits war crimes. I hug you. Our hearts go out to you and the other abductees.”
He added: “We are doing everything to bring all the kidnapped and missing people home. Trupanov, who appeared on the right in the video, was believed to have been abducted from Nir Oz, while the third woman, Kirsht, is thought to have been kidnapped from Kibbutz Nirim.
Hamas so far released at least four of the hostages it seized on October 7, two Israeli women and two U.S.-Israeli nationals. It said all four were released on humanitarian grounds.
An elderly Israel woman freed last week told reporters the next day that after being beaten during the abduction, she was treated “gently” by her captors during two weeks held in Hamas tunnels.
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