A female Israeli soldier, Pvt. Ori Megidish, was rescued from the Gaza Strip in an overnight operation conducted by Israeli special forces, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet said in a joint statement on Monday.
It was the first known instance of an Israeli hostage being rescued from Gaza since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7 and took more than 200 hostages.
Addressing foreign press for the first time since the Hamas terror attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated the IDF and Shin Bet "for this important and moving achievement, which shows our commitment to bringing all of the hostages home.” Netanyahu called the Hamas terrorists “monsters,” saying Israel will continue to pursue them.
Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant also confirmed Megidish's release, saying in a statement, "This is proof of our ability to reach the abductees, the importance of the ground operation and our commitment to every hostage held by Hamas."
