Noa Argamani, who had been held captive by Hamas in Gaza for eight months, arrived at a Tel Aviv hospital to meet her critically ill mother hours after being liberated.
Argamani, 26, was one of the most recognizable faces among the prisoners kidnapped by Hamas on October 7. Harrowing images of her being transported into Gaza on the back of a motorcycle, screaming for her life, and urgently reaching out to her partner, who was being marched behind her on foot, spread across the world.
Argamani’s partner, Avinatan Or, is still in captivity.
Argamani and three other captives were freed on Saturday by Israeli special forces from an apartment building in downtown Gaza.
“I’m so happy to be here,” she told President Isaac Herzog on the phone upon her return, beaming and surrounded by friends and family.
In October, shortly after her daughter was kidnapped from a music festival turned killing field in southern Israel, Liora, seated in a wheelchair, was asked in an interview with a local television station how she anticipated their reunion.
“At least to be able to hug her,” Liora said.
Noa was abducted during Hamas’ October 7 massacre, in which about 3,000 terrorists crossed the border into Israel by land, air, and sea, killing 1,200 people, capturing 251 hostages, the majority of whom were civilians, and committing numerous acts of violence and sexual abuse. The assault at the music event killed 360 people and took around 40 hostages.
Ronni Gamzu, CEO of the hospital, described the mother’s situation as “complicated and tough.” He added that Argamani was able to connect with her mother, who they believe was aware that her daughter had returned home.
“For the last eight months, we have been trying to keep her in a situation where she can communicate,” Gamzu stated.
Yaakov, Argamani’s father, first saw her when a military chopper transported her back to Israel.
“Today is my birthday, and a gift like this I never believed I would get,” remarked the man.
Thousands of Israelis gathered outside the hospital in downtown Tel Aviv, in what has become known as Hostages Square, to commemorate the rescue of the four hostages and to demand the release of the 116 others taken by Hamas on October 7 and thought to be in Gaza.
During a weeklong truce in late November, one hundred and five citizens were released from Hamas custody, and four hostages had already been released. Troops have already liberated seven hostages alive, while the remains of 19 others, including three who were erroneously slain by the military, have been retrieved.
The IDF confirmed the deaths of 41 of those still detained by Hamas using intelligence and data gathered by forces operating in Gaza.
One more individual has been missing since October 7, and their fate remains unclear.
Hamas also detained two Israeli citizens who infiltrated the Strip in 2014 and 2015, as well as the remains of two IDF soldiers killed in 2014.
