An Israeli hostage captured by Hamas during the October 7 attack has been reunited with his family.
ADVERTISEMENTIsraeli Defence Forces (IDF) claimed on Tuesday it rescued 52-year-old Qaid Farhan Alkadi from a tunnel in the Gaza Strip.
The IDF said it conducted a "complex operation" to guarantee Alkadi's "rescue" following 326 days in captivity.
But various media reports that Alkadi — an Israeli Arab and member of the Bedouin community — escaped from imprisonment himself, while Hamas says it "released" him.
Facing increasing pressure from politicians and protesting Israelis, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netenyahu said from Jerusalem he "congratulated" the IDF on its "successful liberation operation" and that the government worked "tirelessly" to return all the hostages.
"We do this in two main ways: through negotiations and rescue operations," he said.
"Both ways together require our military presence in the field and unceasing military pressure on Hamas. We will continue to act like this until we bring everyone home."
Dozens of hostages remain in captivity despite international efforts to broker a ceasefire and secure their release.
Gaza’s Health Ministry says Israel’s offensive has killed more than 40,000 people in Gaza.
The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on 7 October, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250 people.