Israel rescues unguarded hostage in Gaza tunnel
Qaid Farhan Alkadi, 52, was rescued by Israeli forces after 326 days of captivity
What happened
Israeli naval commandos exploring Hamas' tunnel network under Gaza on Tuesday found and rescued one of the Israelis taken hostage in the Oct. 7 terrorist attack. Qaid Farhan Alkadi, a 52-year-old Bedouin Arab, was discovered alone and without Hamas guards, Israeli officials said.
Who said what
"Suddenly, I heard someone speaking Hebrew outside the door, I couldn't believe it," Alkadi told Israeli President Issac Herzog from the hospital. "Work 24 hours, don't sleep until" the other hostages are home. Israel says just over 100 hostages remain in Gaza, a third of whom are believed to be dead. Alkadi is the eighth one rescued alive. Israel accidentally killed three hostages in December, mistaking them for Hamas militants.
Israeli military spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari described Alkadi's rescue as part of a "complex and brave" operation, based on "precise intelligence." But two senior Israeli officials told The New York Times that commandos searching the tunnel were surprised to stumble upon Alkadi. They initially thought he was a "terrorist or somebody else," Brig. Gen. Amir Avivi, a former deputy commander of Israel's Gaza division, said to The Washington Post. "Luckily they didn't shoot him."
What next?
Israeli security officials and hostage families "say a cease-fire deal is needed to free most of those who are still being held and that time is running out," The Wall Street Journal said.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Instagram rolls out teen accounts with new limits
Speed Read After facing pushback over child safety, Meta announced that all users under 18 will have their Instagram accounts modified
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Arizona official sues to bar 100K from local voting
Speed Read A large number of residents who have not submitted citizenship documents might be prevented from voting in the battleground state's elections
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Why is Laura Loomer making Republicans worried?
Today's Big Question Donald Trump says the MAGA influencer is a 'free spirit'
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Arizona official sues to bar 100K from local voting
Speed Read A large number of residents who have not submitted citizenship documents might be prevented from voting in the battleground state's elections
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Hezbollah hit with exploding pagers, blames Israel
Speed Read At least 11 people in Lebanon were killed, and 2,800 others were wounded
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Suspect lurked 12 hours at Trump course, fired no shots
Speed Read Ryan Routh, 58, did not have Trump in his line of sight when the Secret Service apprehended him
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'If this is a race, China has a commanding lead'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Ohio governor slams attacks on Haitian migrants
Speed Read Mike DeWine condemned the conspiracies boosted by Donald Trump and JD Vance about immigrants eating people's pets
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Mexico ratifies contentious judicial overhaul
Speed Read The reform pushed through by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador will require all judges to be elected
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Judge axes North Dakota's near-total abortion ban
Speed Read A judge in the Republican-dominated state overturned the ban, citing a woman's 'fundamental right'
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
US demands answers in Israeli killing of US protester
Speed Read Aysenur Ezgi Eygi was likely killed by IDF soldiers while protesting in the West Bank
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published