52-year-old Qaid Farhan Alkadi who was among the hostages taken by Palestinian fighters known as Hamas on October 7, 2023 was found and rescued by the combined team of special forceS of Israeli military on Tuesday living alone at underground tunnel in Gaza.

The hostage was rescued looking healthy with smiles of joy seems to be on his face as he walked into the arm embrace of the Israeli soldiers as seen on video clips posted online by the Israeli military units.

According to Israel Defense Forces, IDF, “During a complex rescue mission, Qaid Farhan Alkadi from the Bedouin community of Rahat who was kidnapped from Israel by Hamas terrorists during their massacre on October 7th has been rescued. He is alive. He is back home in Israel”, stated as contained in the video announcement of the IDF Spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari.

Bodycam footage of the Israel Defense Forces rescue of Qaid Farhan Alkadi, a Muslim-Bedouin father of eleven, after 326 days in Hamas captivity in Gaza was posted online by the soldiers.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with Farhan al-Qadi, shortly after he was rescued while undergonig medical attention at the hospital.

The Prime Minister congratulated al-Qadi and told him that the entire people of Israel was moved by his being freed.

Prime Minister Netanyahu made it clear that he would continue to do everything to return all of our hostages home.

Prime Minister Netanyahu also issued the following statement as reported by the office of the Prime Minister:

“Welcome home Farhan Qadi. I commend the IDF and the ISA for another successful rescue operation. We are working relentlessly to return all of our hostages.

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.

We will continue to act until we return all of them home.”

The rescue of the 52-year-old man  brought a rare moment of joy to Israelis after 10 months of war but also served as a painful reminder that dozens of hostages are still in captivity as international mediators try to broker a cease-fire in which they would be released.

Qaid Farhan Alkadi was said to be  alone underground Tuesday after 326 days of captivity in Gaza when Israeli forces scouring Hamas’ vast tunnel network found and freed him.

While narrating and discussing his ordeal in captivity with family, Israeli President, Isaac Herzog and friends at the hospital, Alkadi said: “Suddenly, I heard someone speaking Hebrew outside the door, I couldn’t believe it, I couldn’t believe it”.

Close watchers said He was the eighth hostage to be rescued by Israeli forces since about 250 were kidnapped during the October 7, 2023 attack that ignited the war, and the first to be found alive underground.

Alkadi expressed gratitude during the call with Israeli President, Isaac Herzog and urged his country’s leaders to do everything possible to free the dozens still in captivity. “Work 24 hours, don’t sleep until they return. People are really suffering, you can’t imagine,” he said, according to a transcript of the call provided by Herzog’s office.

Israel’s military spokesman, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said Alkadi was found in a southern Gaza tunnel where hostages were suspected to be alongside militants and explosives. He was held in a number of locations during his captivity, according to Hagari.

Israeli Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant said the rescue was part of the army’s “daring and courageous activities conducted deep inside the Gaza Strip”.

The military said it applied “lessons” learned during previous operations while rescuing Alkadi. Earlier in the war, Israeli troops who encountered three hostages inside Gaza accidentally shot and killed them, believing them to be militants.

Alkadi was one of the eight members of Israel’s Bedouin Arab minority abducted on October 7, according to ABC news.

It was gathered that he was working as a guard at a packing factory in Kibbutz Magen, one of several farming communities that came under attack. He has two wives and is the father of 11 children, according to local media.

AP reports that the IDF did not say much about the plan to free the captive; but a quite recent operation had led to the deaths of dozens of Palestinians.

Reports indicate that Israel believes there are still 108 hostages in Gaza and that about one-third of them are dead. Most of the rest were freed during a weeklong cease-fire in November in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

“Footage released by the Israeli military showed Alkadi moments after the rescue. Unshaven and wearing a white tank top, he is seen sitting and smiling with soldiers before boarding a helicopter to a hospital. He appeared emaciated but officials described his condition as stable. His large family gathered at the hospital in the southern Israeli city of Beersheba to welcome him home”, according to ABC.

The news network added that: “One of his brothers held Alkadi’s infant son, who was born while he was in captivity and had not yet met his father, the brother said.

“We’re so excited to hug him and see him and tell him that we’re all here with him,” a family member who gave his name as Faez told Channel 12. “I hope that every hostage will come home so the families can experience this happiness.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also spoke with Alkadi by phone soon after he arrived at the hospital. He said that Israel would rely on rescue operations and negotiations to bring the remaining hostages home.

“Both ways together require our military presence in the field, and unceasing military pressure on Hamas,” Netanyahu said.

Referring to Netanyahu by a traditional Arabic nickname, Alkadi thanked the prime minister for enabling him to see his family again, according to a video of the call provided by Netanyahu’s office.

Alkadi reminded Netanyahu that “there are others waiting.” To which Netanyahu replied, “we haven’t forgotten anyone, just as we haven’t forgotten you.”

It would be recalled that Hamas fighters abducted some 250 people during their October 7 attack in Israel in which some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials, who do not say how many were militants.

The retaliatory war displaced about 90 percent of Gaza’s 2.3 million population  from their homes and caused heavy destruction across the besieged territory.

Local media reported that Israeli airstrikes continued on Tuesday across the Gaza Strip, and Palestinian officials said at least 18 people, including eight children, were killed in the attacks.

Two previous Israeli operations to free hostages killed scores of Palestinians. Hamas says several hostages have been killed in Israeli airstrikes and failed rescue attempts. Israeli troops mistakenly killed three Israelis who escaped captivity in December.

Mazen Abu Siam, a close family friend waiting at the hospital, said the family was overjoyed to hear the news, but they were still praying for a cease-fire.

“We are waiting for a deal for one year,” Siam told The Associated Press.

The United States, Egypt and Qatar have spent months trying to negotiate an agreement in which the remaining hostages would be freed in exchange for a lasting cease-fire. Those talks are ongoing, but there has been no sign of any breakthrough.

Netanyahu has faced intense criticism from families of the hostages and much of the Israeli public for not yet reaching a deal with Hamas to bring them home.

Hamas hopes to trade the hostages for a lasting cease-fire, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and the release of a large number of Palestinian prisoners, including high-profile militants.

Last week, after the Israeli military recovered the bodies of six hostages in southern Gaza, Israel’s military spokesperson, Hagari, said the army was working to gather more intelligence for rescue operations. But he added that “we cannot bring everyone back through rescue operations alone.”

Osazuwa Akonedo

Osazuwa Akonedo is a Nigerian media professional, author, and consultant. His work spans various sectors of communication and literature: Journalism and Media: He is the founder of OsazuwaAkonedo, which focuses on news analysis and commentary. He also provides consultancy services in media and banking. Literature: He is a published playwright and author of Nigerian literature. One of his notable works is the drama titled The End Shall Tell: What Exam Malpractice Can Cause, which addresses educational and social issues in Nigeria. Reporting: He frequently reports on regional news, particularly concerning Edo State and broader Nigerian current affairs. Credit: Google Gemini AI Mode Osazuwa Akonedo is a Nigerian media creator, journalist, and entrepreneur who engages audiences via news reporting, social media content, music, and a mobile application. Professional Background and Company Osazuwa Akonedo is associated with OSAZUWAAKONEDO LIMITED, a company registered in Nigeria that operates in media consultancy and news services  The company is headquartered in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria, and has been active in publishing news in various formats including text, audio, video, and photos  Social Media and Online Platforms Osazuwa Akonedo maintains a strong online presence on several platforms: TikTok: Shares news updates and reports, for example, covering police operations in Nigeria  YouTube: Operates a channel where he uploads videos on current affairs and news content  Twitter/X: Active under the handle @akonedo_osazuwa, posting updates on events and news  Facebook: Profiles listing his connection to news and media activities can be found on Facebook  Mobile App: Offers a dedicated mobile application for news access through Google Play (Osazuwa Akonedo News App) providing text, video, and photo news formats  News Reporting and Content He produces news content covering national and local stories, including criminal activities, government updates, and investigative reports   His reporting spans multiple formats, making it accessible to a wide audience through online platforms, mobile apps, and social media  Other Contributions In addition to journalism, Osazuwa Akonedo has also ventured into audio releases, such as “Former Justice Minister Abubakar Malami Begs Nigerians For Justice” released on January 25, 2026   He also hosts podcasts documenting significant events, e.g, NDLEA arrests related to historical criminal cases  Summary Osazuwa Akonedo is a multifaceted media professional engaged in journalism, social media content creation, music, and technology via his news app. He utilizes platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Twitter/X, Facebook, and mobile applications to disseminate news and reach audiences both locally and internationally Credit: Azure AI

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