An Israeli hostage's father passes away shortly before his son's release.
In Israel, four captives were liberated by the security forces during a major operation in Gaza. Among them was Almog Meir-Jan. Tragically, his father never learned about his son's freedom - he passed away just before the rescue.
The father of the freed Israeli hostage, Almog Meir-Jan, was discovered deceased a few hours after his son's release, according to i24News.
Yossi Meir perished in the early hours of Friday, the day following Thursday.
Following her son's liberation, Yossi Meir's sister was notified by the army. They informed her that her nephew had regained his freedom; however, they couldn't reach her father. The sister went to her brother's home to share the good news. Upon entering his house through the open door, she found him unresponsive in his living room. "My brother died of grief and missed seeing his son return," she said. "His heart stopped beating the night before Almog's release."
In addition to Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov, Schlomi Ziv, and Noa Argamani, 25, were set free on Saturday after spending eight months imprisoned by Hamas.
Argamani's mother experienced her greatest wish as she was reunited with her ailing daughter for the first time, reports stated. She had been terminally ill and repeatedly requested to see her kidnapped girl before passing away.
Nearly 300 troops participated in the complex rescue mission, according to the military. Furthermore, members of the Israeli Police's counter-terrorism unit took part in the operation. It was the largest hostage rescue operation since the outbreak of the Gaza War.
The four Israelis were abducted by Hamas during a mass abduction on October 7. The incident occurred when they attended the Nova music festival in Israel's southern region. At least 200 individuals were taken that day, and it's feared that many of them no longer remain alive, according to military statements.
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The tragic event occurred just days after Hamas was reportedly accused of taking hostages during the Nova music festival in the Gaza Strip. This incident resulted in the capture of several individuals, including Almog Meir-Jan.
Despite the release of hostages like Meir-Jan and others by the Israeli forces, tensions continue to remain high between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
