On Tuesday, friends and neighbors continued to flock to the home of Ori Megidish, the IDF soldier who was freed from Hamas captivity during their incursion into Gaza. Ori was abducted on October 7 during the Hamas onslaught on southern Israel. She has been reunited with her family in Kiryat Gat.
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"Our Ori has returned home, and now our prayers are with the remaining hostages and those still missing and our hearts go out to all of their families," said Margalit, Ori's mother, outside their home.
On Monday, the IDF and the Shin Bet disclosed the soldier's rescue during a ground operation deep inside the Gaza Strip. The operation, led by the Shin Bet with intelligence and operational expertise, involved exchanges of fire with the terrorists guarding her, resulting in injuries to several Hamas terrorists. Special forces played a crucial role in the successful rescue mission.
"Dear people of Israel, thank you for the prayers and support," Margalit, Ori's mother said. "Our thanks to the Shin Bet, the IDF, and the security forces. Our appreciation goes out to everyone. The nation of Israel the eternal nation."
"We are incredibly grateful"
Ilanit Asher, the soldier's aunt, said that: "Everything is well, thank God. Ori is joyful, and everything is going smoothly. We are immensely grateful to everyone, and we hope that all hostages can safely return to their parents and families. Thank you for everything, and our heartfelt appreciation goes to the soldiers. There are no words to express our gratitude."
Dafna, another one of Ori's aunts, said that: "Deep in our hearts, we know that she is back home, surrounded by her parents and her brother. That is the most significant thing for us. She hugged me, kissed me. This brings us immense joy. She is also happy. We are incredibly grateful, and Am Israel Chai."
The army is withholding details about the specific operation that led to Ori's rescue in order to protect the ongoing efforts to rescue the remaining hostages. However, security sources have indicated that the rescue mission was highly perilous and involved exceptional cooperation between the Shin Bet, IDF and Mossad.
The IDF has affirmed its unwavering commitment to persistently pursue intelligence and military efforts to bring back the abducted individuals. Chief of Staff Herzi Halevy and Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar met with Ori, and while her initial investigation has concluded, there is a possibility of further inquiries in the future.
Celebrations after Ori Megidish release
"We conducted a ground operation, but I won't go into details. The more we carry out such operations, the more the enemy will suffer, creating more opportunities for us to act. This is the right course of action. Regarding Ori's interrogation, she performed exceptionally, demonstrating remarkable expression and memory skills. This valuable information will be utilized as needed," IDF Spokesperson Brigadier General Daniel Hagari said in a statement Tuesday night following the successful rescue operation, remarked.
As of this morning, there are 240 hostages currently held in the Gaza Strip. Since the onset of the war, Hamas has independently released four hostages: Nurit Cooper, 80, Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, Yehudit Raanan, 59, and Natalie Raanan, 18.