Abducted Israeli soldier 'rescued from Hamas during Gaza ground invasion'

30 October 2023 , 17:02

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Private Ori Megidish was abducted during the Hamas attacks on October 7

A female soldier has been freed from Hamas capitivity during Israel's ground operation in Gaza, according to authorities.

Private Ori Megidish was abducted during the attacks from the militant group on the morning of October 7. The Israeli military said she had been given medical checks and is "doing well" after being reunited with her family.

She is the first member of Israeli forces taken hostage to have been confirmed rescued since the incursion just over three weeks ago.

A joint statement from the Israel Defence Forces and the Israel Securities Authority read: "Overnight, the soldier PVT Ori Megidish was released during IDF ground operations. PVT Megidish was kidnapped by the Hamas terrorist organization on October 7th. The soldier was medically checked, is doing well, and has met with her family. The IDF and ISA will continue to do everything it takes in order to release the hostages."

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IDF ground operations have intensified in the Gaza strip (Anadolu via Getty Images)

It comes as BBC Gaza correspondent Rushdi Abualouf said Israel has tanks heading to Gaza City "from four different directions". He said: "We noticed since yesterday that there is less air strikes in this area, more aid coming from Egypt," he said. "So it seems that Israel wants to focus the operation in the north and Gaza City where now they have tanks from four different directions."

The Gaza Health Ministry said the death toll among Palestinians passed 8,300. The toll is without precedent in decades of Israeli-Palestinian violence. Over 1,400 people have died on the Israeli side, mainly civilians killed during the initial attack, also an unprecedented figure.

Benedict Tetzlaff-Deas