The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported this Monday that, as part of their incursions into the Gaza Strip, they have managed to free Colonel Uri Magidish, who had been taken hostage by the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas) during its October 7 offensive.
The soldier has undergone a medical examination, which shows that she is in good health, and has already been reunited with her family, as detailed by the Israeli military forces in a brief statement on their website.
On the other hand, the IDF has stressed that both the Army and the internal Intelligence service (Shin Bet) “will continue to make all possible efforts to achieve the release of the hostages,” in reference to the Hamas hostages.
The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, celebrated the news by welcoming Magidish back to the country, while thanking the work of the Shin Bet and the Army for “this important and exciting achievement.”
For his part, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has asserted that the release of Magidish is “proof” that Israel has the capacity to free the Hamas hostages in the Gaza Strip, according to the newspaper ‘The Times of Israel’.
“This is further proof of our ability to reach the hostages, of the importance of the ground operation and, above all, of our commitment to each and every one of the hostages,” said Gallant, who, however, has warned that the ground operation in the Gaza Strip “is not easy.”
“The enemy is resisting, but IDF forces operate with precision and determination, with cooperation between ground and air forces and quality Intelligence,” remarked the Israeli Defense Minister.
Finally, Gallant has shown his complete confidence that the Israeli military forces are capable of “being able to carry out their task.” “This will not be a short or easy war, but we are determined to win for those who paid with their lives,” he concluded.
In early October, Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, which left nearly 1,400 dead and more than 200 people taken hostage. The IDF launched an offensive in response that has already claimed the lives of more than 8,300 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
