Israeli soldiers free hostage after chance encounter in Gaza tunnel

Qaid Farhan Al-Qadi, a Bedouin from the Negev desert, was abducted by Hamas during Oct 7 attacks

An Israeli hostage has been rescued from Gaza after Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers found him in a tunnel by chance.
Qaid Farhan Al-Qadi, a Bedouin who was captured on Oct 7 while working as a factory guard, was returned home on Tuesday in what the Israeli army described as a “complex operation”.
The 52-year-old was located by Israeli special forces unit Flotilla 13 during a raid intended to capture a Hamas tunnel in southern Gaza, the New York Times reported.
Mr Al-Qadi was found in a room without guards around 25 metres underground, the paper reported citing senior Israeli officials.
The IDF released footage of soldiers in combat fatigues and body armour shaking hands with the freed captive, apparently taken in the room where he was found.
Mr l-Qadi is the first hostage to be freed from the so-called ‘Gaza metro’ tunnel network rather than a home above ground.
Looking thin but healthy, Mr Al-Qadi was pictured saluting soldiers in the helicopter that took him out of Gaza.
Rear-Adml Daniel Hagari, the IDF’s chief spokesman, called the rescue operation “complex” and said that the troops reached the area “thanks to precise intelligence”.
“No further details can be published due to considerations of the safety of our hostages, the security of our forces, and national security,” the IDF said in a statement.
Video footage showed Mr Al-Qadi’s family racing through hospital corridors to greet him as he landed back on safe ground.
Mr Al-Qadi, who was born in the Bedouin city of Ragav in the Negev desert, spoke with Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, by phone from his hospital bed.
“I’m also happy, I waited for his moment, I swear, Abu Yair,“ Mr Al-Qadi said, referring to Mr Netanyahu being the father of a son called Yair.
“I thank you for this work, that you got to a situation where I can see my family and be here. You did holy work, holy work you did. There are others who are waiting,” Mr. Al-Qadi said, wearing a blue hospital smock.
“I want you to know that [we] are not forgetting anyone, just like we did not forget you. We are committed to returning everyone, without exception,” Mr Netanyahu said.
Prof Shlomi Codish, the director of the Soroka Medical Center, in Beersheba, said that Mr Qadi appeared to be in “stable and good condition” and that he was being hospitalised for supervision.”
Mr. Al-Qadi’s brother, Farhan, told Israel’s national broadcaster (Kan): “We are very happy to receive this news. It is better than having a new child. We thank everyone very much and hope to see him in good health.”
It is thought that 108 of the 251 hostages abducted by Hamas on Oct 7 remain in captivity, including the bodies of 34 confirmed dead.
In November, 105 hostages were freed in a week-long ceasefire, and the bodies of 20 more have been retrieved by Israeli forces. Seven other hostages have been freed by Israeli forces, often in heavy fighting.
Yoav Gallant, Israel’s defence minister, said the operation was part of the IDF’s “daring and courageous activities conducted deep inside the Gaza strip”.
“This operation joins a series of actions taken by the IDF that bring us closer to achieving the goals of this war,” Mr Gallant said.
The Hostages Families Forum commended the army for rescuing Mr Al Qadi, saying “his return home is nothing short of miraculous”.
“However, we must remember: military operations alone cannot free the remaining 108 hostages, who have suffered 326 days of abuse and terror. A negotiated deal is the only way forward,” the forum added.