Conflicting reports emerged about the circumstances, with some suggesting that the prisoner escaped from his captors.
The Israeli army announced on Tuesday that it had successfully recovered a prisoner held in Gaza, found in a tunnel in the southern part of the Strip.
Reuters news agency cited the Israeli army as saying that Farhan al-Qadi, a 52-year-old Bedouin from southern Israel, was taken to a hospital where his condition was stable.
The New York Times reported that al-Qadi is a member of Israel’s Bedouin community and he worked as a security guard in an Israeli kibbutz near Gaza.
Conflicting Reports
Conflicting reports emerged about the circumstances, with some suggesting that the prisoner escaped from his captors, while others stated he was found alone without guards.
The Israeli military confirmed that their forces “rescued the prisoner Farhan Al-Qadi alive” and that he was being transferred to Soroka Hospital for further examination.
The Palestinian resistance factions, involved in ongoing confrontations with Israeli forces in Gaza, have not yet issued a statement regarding the incident.
⚡️Israel is trying to twist it and say they did a major heroic rescue operation, this is NOT true.
Haaretz: Farhan al-Qadi managed to escape from his kidnappers inside a tunnel in Gaza before the army forces were able to rescue him pic.twitter.com/zX7Hzg7GX2
— Suppressed News. (@SuppressedNws) August 27, 2024
At a press conference, Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said that no additional details about the rescue operation could be disclosed. He emphasized the ongoing efforts to secure the return of all captives, noting that “108, including women, are still being held in Gaza.”
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that al-Qadi managed to escape from his captors inside a Gaza tunnel before being rescued by the army, a narrative that differs from official statements.
The New York Times, quoting Israeli officials, said al-Qadi was found by chance during a tunnel operation in southern Gaza, discovered alone without guards.
Anadolu Agency highlighted inconsistencies in Israeli accounts regarding al-Qadi’s return, who had been held in Gaza since October 7. Other Israeli media, cited by Al-Jazeera, suggested that al-Qadi escaped before the army intervened, contradicting the official version.
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Late last month, Israel reported recovering the bodies of five prisoners, including four soldiers, during an operation in Khan Yunis. Earlier, the Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, announced that two Israeli prisoners had been killed in an Israeli airstrike on Rafah.
Last week, the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation (KAN) stated that the army and internal security service Shabak retrieved the bodies of six detainees from a tunnel in the Khan Yunis area. Initial reports indicated they were alive at the time of their capture, but the cause of their death remains unclear.
Subsequently, Israel Hayom reported that the bodies were being examined to determine whether they were killed by Israeli fire. The incident has intensified internal criticism of the government, with increasing calls for a prisoner swap deal with Palestinian resistance groups.
What Do Palestine Chronicle Editors Think?
It is difficult to ascertain what has taken place since the Palestinian Resistance spokespersons have yet to provide their version of the story.
However, the Israeli captive may have escaped after the killing or wounding of his captors under unclear circumstances.
The Israeli army was keen on utilizing the version of the story that says al-Qadi was freed through a military operation. This claim is politically beneficial for the Israeli army and Netanyahu personally. But it is unlikely to be the correct version of events. Why?
When Israel attempts to free any of its captives, they do so following precise intelligence information. They have done so several times in the last ten months and often failed to free their captives, except in the case of the Nuseirat massacre on June 8.
Though exact details of what has taken place in Nuseirat remain hazy, Israel has purportedly freed four captives at the expense of killing at least 274 Palestinian civilians and wounding over 800 others.
Palestinian Resistance sources also said that the Israeli operation killed three other captives and that an Israeli officer was also killed in the rescue operation.
Therefore, the pattern of these rescue operations has been following a similar trajectory: extensive bombing from the air, massive and bloody incursions, and the like.
In the case of al-Qadi, however, no such events preceded his release. This indicates that whatever the version of events that led to his release, most likely has little to do with an Israeli military operation.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
I am very happy also for Israeli to free this man not me also all the Muslim world are happy to free this man. I think also hamas them self are happy this man has been freed by the Israeli. 😂😂😂😂😂😂
The IDF has long had a reputation for inflating its own reputation, rather like a hot air balloon being filled with hydrogen and then having the fire lit underneath it. Consequently I place the IDF in the category of “Things That Go Boom In The Night”.
Everything zionists tell us is fake.