War on Gaza: Israeli troops free Palestinian Bedouin captive held in Gaza
Israel's military has said that its troops have freed a captive held in Gaza during a "complex rescue operation" on Tuesday.
It said that Qaid Farhan Alkadi, 52, a Palestinian Bedouin citizen of Israel, was rescued in the southern Gaza Strip after being held for 10 months.
"We are doing everything to save the hostages," Herzi Halevi, the head of Israel's military, said in a statement.
Alkadi was taken captive from Kibbutz Magen, one of several southern Israeli communities around the Gaza Strip attacked by Hamas and other Palestinian groups on 7 October.
During the attack, around 1,200 people - mostly civilians - were killed, while over 250 others were taken captive to Gaza.
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The Israeli military said Alkadi had been transferred to hospital, and his medical condition was normal.
Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said Alkadi had been rescued in an underground tunnel, but gave no further details, citing the security of Israeli troops and the remaining captives.
Middle East Eye could not independently verify the claim.
"We will not rest until we complete our mission to bring all our hostages back," Hagari said.
According to the website Coming Home Soon, which features information about the captives held in Gaza, Alkadi lives near the Bedouin city of Rahat.
He worked as a guard at Kibbutz Magen's packing house, and was on duty when he was taken captive on 7 October by Palestinian fighters.
Alkadi has two wives and 11 children. He became a grandfather during his time held in Gaza, according to Coming Home Soon. Around 100 Israeli captives remain in the enclave.
In June, four Israeli captives were rescued during an Israeli attack on Nuseirat and Deir al-Balah refugee camps in Gaza which resulted in the deaths of at least 236 Palestinians, mostly women and children.
Noa Argamani, one of the four freed captives, said last week that her injuries were caused by an Israeli air strike during her rescue operation, not by a Hamas attack.
Speaking to diplomats from G7 countries in Tokyo last Wednesday, Argamani detailed her ordeal after she was taken captive by Palestinian armed groups during the 7 October attack.
However, two days later, she issued a statement on Instagram, saying that some of her remarks had been misquoted and taken out of context.
Contrary to some Israeli media reports, Argamani clarified that she was not beaten or had her hair shaved by Palestinian fighters.
"[Hamas members] did not hit me while I was in captivity, nor did they cut my hair; I was injured by the collapse of a wall caused by an [Israeli] Air Force pilot," she said.
"As a victim of 7 October, I refuse to be victimised once again by the media."
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