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Israeli forces rescued Farhan Al-Qadi, a 52-year-old Bedouin Israeli, from Hamas’ tunnel network in Gaza on Tuesday. Held hostage for nearly a year, Al-Qadi’s return has been hailed as miraculous by his family and community. This operation is the first to retrieve a hostage alive from within the tunnels read more
 "How Israel rescued a hostage from Hamas’ infamous tunnel network in Gaza")
A handout image released on August 27, 2024 by the Israeli army to show hostage Qaid Farhan Alkadi, 52, inside a helicopter after he was recovered. IDF via Reuters
Israeli forces successfully rescued Farhan Al-Qadi, a 52-year-old Bedouin Israeli citizen, from the depths of Hamas’ sprawling tunnel network beneath Gaza on Tuesday. Al-Qadi, who had been held hostage since October 7, was found alone and in a stable condition.
His rescue has been hailed as miraculous, with his family and the broader Israeli community celebrating his return as nothing short of extraordinary.
How did Israeli forces rescue Al-Qadi?
Israeli special forces, guided by precise intelligence, combed through the intricate network of tunnels in southern Gaza, where they discovered Al-Qadi. He was found without his Hamas captors, leading some to speculate that they may have fled upon realising Israeli troops were near.
The operation, described as “daring and courageous” by Israeli Minister of Defence Yoav Gallant, is the first to have reclaimed a hostage alive from within Hamas’ tunnel network, adding to the eight hostages rescued in four separate operations since the war began.
Watch:
Body cam footage from the moment Qaid Farhan Alkadi was rescued by IDF troops: pic.twitter.com/YTK3DavEOw
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 27, 2024Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu personally spoke with Al-Qadi after his rescue, expressing his relief and satisfaction: “Farhan, I am so happy to talk to you. I want you to know that we do not forget anyone, just as we did not forget you.” Al-Qadi responded, “I’m happy too. I’ve been waiting for this moment.”
— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) August 27, 2024“Suddenly, I heard someone speaking Hebrew outside the door, I couldn’t believe it, I couldn’t believe it,” he recounted during his phone call with Netanyahu.
Who is Farhan Al-Qadi?
Farhan Al-Qadi is a 52-year-old Israeli citizen from Rahat, a village in southern Israel. Al-Qadi, a Muslim and member of Israel’s Bedouin community, was working as an unarmed guard in a small Israeli kibbutz at the time of his abduction during Hamas’s attacks on October 7.
His family, devastated by his kidnapping, had been desperately hoping for his safe return. Al-Qadi is a father of 11 children, making his rescue a moment of immense relief and joy for his large family.
Bedouins, a semi-nomadic, ethnically Arab group, form about 20 per cent of Israel’s population. While many Bedouins identify as Bedouin Israelis, others see themselves as Palestinian citizens of Israel.
Despite being a minority, some Bedouins volunteer for military service in specialised units, such as the Gadsar 585 battalion, which operates in the Negev desert, where most Bedouins originate.
The plight of the Bedouin community
Al-Qadi’s rescue has also highlighted the unique challenges faced by Israel’s Bedouin community. Despite their service in specialised military units, such as the Gadsar 585 battalion, many Bedouins live in unrecognised villages with limited access to basic services, making them particularly vulnerable during conflicts.
Before Israel was established in 1948, the Negev region had a population of 92,000 Bedouins. However, the Arab-Israeli war that followed left only 11,000 Bedouins in the area, according to Minority Rights Group.
The organisation reports that those who remained faced harsh treatment, were repeatedly displaced, and were forced into reservations. Today, nearly 250,000 Bedouins live in Israel, as reported by the National Library of Israel, with many residing in towns that still lack official recognition or in unincorporated villages.
The Bedouin community has been deeply affected by the ongoing violence, with at least 17 Bedouins killed during the October 7 attacks and many others losing their livelihoods. Al-Qadi’s brother Juma’a expressed pride that “not a single drop of blood was shed” during the rescue, reflecting the community’s values and the significance of this peaceful outcome.
What has Al-Qadi’s family reacted to his rescue?
Al-Qadi’s rescue has brought immense joy to his family, who had endured nearly a year of uncertainty and despair. His brother Juma’a Al-Qadi, overwhelmed with emotion, described the moment as if his brother had been “brought back to life.”
He shared that Al-Qadi, who had been shot in the leg during the initial Hamas attack, had not expected to survive his captivity. “He was dead and is now brought back to life,” Juma’a said, adding that his brother’s leg had been poorly treated and operated on without anesthesia, likening it to the treatment of animals.
The reunion at the Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba saw hundreds of friends and relatives gathered, with Al-Qadi’s brothers and 11 children preparing for his return to their village of Tarabin in the Negev desert.
His mother, Alya El-Sanae, who had been kept in the dark about her son’s fate for months, described the news of his release as “unbelievable.” She said, “My heart flew with joy.”
What did Al-Qadi go through in captivity?
The 11 months Al-Qadi spent in captivity were marked by brutal conditions. According to his brother Juma’a, Al-Qadi’s experience was harrowing, with constant darkness and no exposure to daylight.
Another former mayor of Rahat, Ata Abu Madighem, who visited Al-Qadi in the hospital, recounted how Al-Qadi had witnessed another hostage die next to him early in his captivity. Al-Qadi was also reported to have lost a significant amount of weight, with family members noting that he had shed at least 20 kilograms during his time in captivity.
Al-Qadi’s return has reignited discussions about the ongoing hostage situation in Gaza. Currently, 104 hostages from the October 7 attack remain in captivity, with 34 presumed dead, according to the Israeli Prime Minister’s office and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.
The forum, while celebrating Al-Qadi’s return, stated that military operations alone cannot secure the release of the remaining hostages, who have been held captive now for more than 326 days.
🚁WATCH the first moments of rescued hostage Qaid Farhan Alkadi back on Israeli soil on his way to reunite with his family after 326 days in Hamas captivity. pic.twitter.com/XH0F6Qb8SV
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 27, 2024With Al-Qadi’s rescue, the number of hostages still held from the October 7 attack stands at 104, according to data from the Israeli prime minister’s office and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum. Among these, 34 are presumed dead.
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With inputs from agencies
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