Latest
NOA'S JOY
Tearful moment Israeli hostage Noa Agramani reunites with dad after mum vowed to fight cancer ‘until she saw her again’
Harrowing footage previously showed Noa begging for her life as Hamas thugs dragged her to Gaza
RESCUED Israeli hostage Noa Agramani was seen hugging her dad in a tearful reunion after finally being freed from eight months of Hamas' captivity.
Noa, 25, along with Almog Meir 21, Andrey Kozlov 27, and Shlomi Ziv, 40 were saved by the Israeli forces in the largest rescue operation since they were taken hostage on October 7.
14
14
14
14
14
14
Noa's plight became one of the most harrowing and recognisable images as the world came to terms with the atrocity on October 7.
She was seen being loaded onto a motorbike as she pleaded with them "don't kill me".
It was a video that shocked the world.
Now there is joy as she was seen embracing her father Yaakov as the pair shared a cool bottle of Coke.
more on Gaza War
She and the other three hostages had spent 245 days in captivity since being kidnapped 8 months ago.
Noa will soon meet her mum Liora who has been suffering from stage four brain cancer - and had previously said all she wanted was to see her kidnapped daughter "one more time".
Liora, 61, previously told the Times of Israel: "I want to see her one more time. Talk to her one more time.
"I don’t have a lot of time left in this world."
Most read in The Sun
The brave mum's wish will now soon become a reality and she will finally be able to see her lovely daughter.
Praising the rescue operation that freed her daughter, Yaakov said: "Let’s not forget, there are still 120 hostages, and we have to free them."
Israel uncovers Hamas’ ‘lifeline’ tunnels from Rafah across border into Egypt & seizes Gaza’s key ‘Philadelphi Corridor’
"We have to make every effort, in any way we can, to bring them to Israel and their families."
All four hostages were found in two different locations in a daring daylight raid by Israeli special forces.
Noa was rescued at one site, while Meir Jan, Kozlov, and Ziv were at the second Hamas base.
Hundreds of soldiers took part in the "complex operation".
The four hostages are all understood to be well - but have been rushed straight to hospital after being rescued from Gaza.
Noa also exchanged phone calls with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"'I am so happy to be here. Thank you for everything, thank you for this moment," said a smiling Noa.
I want to see her one more time. Talk to her one more time. I don’t have a lot of time left in this world
Liora Agramani
However, her boyfriend Avinatan Or is believed to remain held in captivity by Hamas.
The IDF said in a statement: "[Four hostages] were rescued in a special operation by the IDF, ISA and Israel Police from two separate locations in the heart of Nuseirat after being kidnapped by Hamas from the Nova music festival.
"They are in good medical condition and have been transferred to the 'Sheba' Tel-HaShomer Medical Center for further medical examinations.
"We will continue to make every effort to bring the hostages home."
Israeli officials said last week they believe Hamas still has at least 80 living hostages.
Meanwhile, a Hamas official said Israel's freeing of four hostages after eight months was "a sign of failure, not an achievement."
Harrowing footage showed the moment Noa was snatched by Hamas terrorists and dragged away before being taken to Gaza.
She was at the Nova music festival in the desert when the militants dragged her away on a motorcycle as she begged "Don't kill me".
The disturbing footage showed her with her arms outstretched as she pleads with them to let her go.
The 25-year-old university student screams "Don't kill me! No, no, no", as the gunmen speed away with her trapped in between them.
Her boyfriend, Avi Nathan, is held tightly by two other terrorists nearby as he watches his helpless girlfriend in horror.
Noa's family only discovered she had been taken when they stumbled upon the disturbing footage online.
More footage of her being held in an unknown location appeared online since her abduction.
Many of the remaining hostages include children including young girls, women and the elderly.
Netanyahu says his country will continue to "fight with our fingernails" despite international authorities calling for a ceasefire.
Israel's military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said their forces came under heavy fire during today's rescue mission.
Commandos working to save the hostages responded by firing “from the air and from the street", he said.
Hagari said: "We know about under 100 [Palestinian] casualties. I don’t know how many of them are terrorists."
The IDF has said that the four hostages were being held by terrorists in the homes of Gaza families in two Hamas-controlled buildings.
Hamas has previously been accused of using civilians as human shields.
Hamas' media office claimed "210 matyrs" had been killed in the Israeli operation - but this figure was disputed by medics on the ground who gave much lower estimates of around 70.
14
14
14
14
14
14
14
It comes after British-Israeli hostage Nadav Popplewell was killed in Hamas captivity just weeks after the terror group taunted his family with a horrifying ten-second clip of him.
He was taken hostage alongside his mother Channah Peri, 79, from their home in Kibbutz Nirim during the horror October 7 bloodbath.
Channah and Nadav were said to have stayed together throughout captivity in a tunnel under Gaza.
Channah was later released on November 24 as part of a temporary ceasefire deal.
Meanwhile, Israel discovered the body of Shani Louk alongside two other hostages inside the Gaza Strip.
German tattoo artist Shani Louk was a victim of the October 7 massacre by Hamas when she was kidnapped from the Nova festival.
Israeli Defence Forces spokesman Daniel Hagari shared the tragic news and said hostages Amit Buskila and Itzhak Gelerenter were also found in the Strip.
He confirmed that all three were killed by Hamas terrorists during the music festival slaughter on October 7 and their bodies were taken to Gaza.
It comes after Hamas launched a a chilling barrage of rocket attacks on Israel for the first time in months forcing civilians to flee their homes.
Hamas announced they were aiming for Israel's largest city, saying: "We fired a large salvo at Tel Aviv in response to the Zionist massacres of civilians."
It is thought the barrage of missiles came from the city of Rafah where Israel has been constantly bombarding with strikes as they look to end the bloody war.
Just days ago, Israel was told to immediately cease its operation in Rafah, a southern part of the Gaza Strip where countless Palestinians have been sheltering.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) said the humanitarian crisis in Rafah had “deteriorated further”, with the situation now “disastrous”.
ICJ President Nawaf Salam said: “Israel must immediately halt its military offensive.”
The global court accused Israel of limiting aid to Gaza, which they deny.
Chief ICC prosecutor Karim Khan had requested arrest warrants for Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes in the Strip.
Hamas leaders were also included in the requests for international warrants.
The assault on Rafah in recent weeks comes as the IDF looks to seek and destroy any last remnants of Hamas so the war can be over.
Israel says the city is Hamas' last major stronghold in the Gaza Strip.
They have been "eliminating terrorists" and "terrorist infrastructure" with hundreds of "terror targets" already being hit.
Repeated airstrikes have also been ongoing since the start of May with three “significant” tunnel shafts also being found.
Military tanks encircled the entire eastern half of the refugee-filled city as the planned assault started.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
It is believed the remaining hostages are still being held underground inside the web of Hamas hideouts.
The death toll of Israel’s military operation in Gaza has now passed at least 35,000 Palestinian civilians, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
Half of hamas WIPED OUT since October 7
By Jessica Baker, Foreign News Reporter
RUTHLESS militant group Hamas has lost half its members since it began its assault on Israel and murdered 1,200 civilians on October 7.
The terrorist organisation has reportedly been left with no choice but to rely on hit-and-run insurgent tactics to fend off Israeli forces.
Hamas, which rules the densely-populated enclave of Gaza, has been reduced to between 9,000 and 12,000 fighters, according to three senior US officials familiar with battlefield developments.
The group was estimated to have had 20,000 to 25,000 members before it launched its unprecedented attack on Israel last year.
Members of the terror group are now largely relying on ambushes and improvised bombs to hit Israeli targets instead of engaging in sustained battles with Israeli forces.
The shift in tactics comes as Israel's military closes in on Rafah, a city in the south of Gaza near the border of Egypt where Israel says Hamas militants have been hiding.
Terrorists are believed by Israel to be trying to conceal themselves among civilians, seeking shelter in places such as schools.
14
Topics