Bedouin Gaza hostage rescued 'by chance' contrary to Israeli claims

Bedouin hostage Farhan Elkadi escaped captivity in Gaza on his own, contradicting the Israeli army's official narrative that he was "rescued" by Israeli forces.

Elkadi's rescue was "by chance", according to a report by the Israeli daily Haaretz, which said available information on the incident revealed there was no premeditated rescue operation and he stumbled on an Israeli patrol.

The report indicated that the Israeli naval unit "Shayetet 13" was leading a search of tunnels in the area when to their "surprise", they stumbled on Elkadi "on his own, without guards, in a room roughly 25 yards underground".

Elkadi, who is from Bedouin village in the Rahat area of the Naqab (Negev) desert, was working as a guard near the Gaza border when he was captured by Hamas on 7 October, during raids in southern Israel, which left 1,200 dead, according to an AFP count.

After being discovered by the Israeli patrol, Elkadi was sent to Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba where he was declared to be in good health.

Following his release, Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant praised the alleged "daring and courageous operation" that led to Elkadi's rescue.

Israeli army spokesperson, Daniel Hagari stated that while he could not go into details about the alleged operation, he could "share that Israeli commandos rescued [Elkadi] from an underground tunnel, following accurate intelligence".

His brother Hatam Elkadi told Israeli newspaper Haaretz: "We couldn't believe he was out of there, we didn't know if he was alive or dead."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said he had spoken to Elkadi by phone after his release.

According to the Israeli army, Elkadi is the eighth hostage released from Gaza without a deal with Hamas.

His so-called "rescue" operation was preceded by three military operations to release other captives, including the first, on 30 October, during which Ori Megidish was rescued.

In the second, in February, Fernando Marman, 60, and Louis Har, 70, were rescued.

In the last, on 8 June, Israeli forces massacred at least 276 Palestinians and injured around 700 in the Nuseirat refugee camp during an operation to free the four Israeli captives Noa Argamani, Almog Meir Jan, Shlomi Ziv, and Andrey Kozlov.

While Israeli media celebrated Elkadi's return and interviews were held with family members, reports highlighted the 108 hostages were still being held in Gaza, including 36 who Israel has determined are dead.

Israel's Hostages and Missing Families Forum described Elkadi's "return home" as "miraculous".

However, the organisation warned that "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".

Netanyahu has faced growing outrage domestically, especially from families of Israelis still captive in Gaza, for repeatedly refusing to agree to a ceasefire and captive exchange deal with Hamas, which many see as the only way to free all the hostages.

In August, after the bodies of six Israeli hostages were recovered by Israeli forces in Gaza, the daughter of one of the deceased hostages.

Keren Munder, said: "You were abandoned, again and again, by the prime minister and his ministers, to Hamas's tunnels."

This article is based on an article which appeared in our Arabic edition by Naif Zidane on 27 August 2024 with additional reporting. To read the original article click here.