The Israeli Army announced on Wednesday (28) that it had rescued in the south of the Gaza Strip the body of one of its soldiers, kidnapped and murdered by the terrorist group Hamas during the attack on October 7 last year that triggered the war.
In a joint operation by the Army’s special forces and intelligence services, in the early hours of this Wednesday, “a fallen soldier [morto]kidnapped on October 7 and held hostage in the Gaza Strip, has been rescued and returned to the State of Israel,” a military statement said. The soldier’s family asked that his name not be released.
“The heart of the entire nation is in mourning for this terrible loss,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement congratulating the armed forces for rescuing the soldier, “who fell in a heroic battle on October 7 while defending the communities of the Western Negev.”
The president reiterated that he will continue to make “every possible effort” to recover the 100 hostages still held captive in Gaza, of whom around 30 lost their lives.
In turn, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant described the operation as “bold” and also promised to continue the rescue of the hostages.
Hamas triggered the war with Israel after carrying out an attack on October 7 that included the launch of about 3,000 rockets and the infiltration of about 1,000 terrorists who killed about 1,200 people and kidnapped 251 others.
Some 360 Israeli soldiers were killed in fighting that broke out on Israeli soil against terrorists that day and in the following days, as well as some 60 police officers.
In addition, in the nearly 11 months that the war has lasted, another 342 soldiers have been killed in the Gaza Strip and at least 1,500 have been injured.
Yesterday, the army rescued alive Kaid Farhan al Qadi, 52, who was captured by Hamas on October 7. After a brief stay in hospital, he is now home with his family.
As the first anniversary of the war approaches, relatives of hostages and some who managed to escape the Strip alive signed a letter today demanding that their names not be disclosed at the ceremony organized by the State, considering that the government makes a “cynical” use of the names of the victims, “whom it abandoned”.
Negotiations for a new ceasefire have stalled amid accusations between Netanyahu and Hamas over “changes” introduced to the original proposal put forward by the United States in May.
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