A female Israeli soldier, Ori Megidish, has been released from Hamas’ captivity, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported Monday.
“She is home,” IDF posted on social media. “PVT Megidish was abducted by Hamas on October 7. Tonight, she was released during IDF ground operations. Ori is now home with her family.”
Megidish was one of more than 200 people taken hostage, including dozens of kids, during Hamas’ massive surprise attack on Israel on October 7.
While her freedom was secured by the IDF, Hamas has previously released four women from among the hostages, two elderly Israeli women and a mother and daughter from Illinois who were reportedly let go because the mother is in poor health.
On Monday Hamas released a video of three Israeli women they continue to hold hostage, during which one of the women appears to address Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, demanding that he “release the Palestinians from your prisons to free us”—though it’s unclear whether her words were her own or were fed to her by Hamas, or how much duress she was under at the time.
Officials from Qatar and Egypt have been negotiating for all of the hostages’ release.
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