What to Know About the Hostages Israel Has Rescued During the War in Gaza

The rescue of a hostage on Tuesday from southern Gaza brought to eight the number of captives the Israeli military has freed out of the approximately 250 abducted in the Hamas-led attacks last Oct. 7.

Several other hostages’ bodies have been recovered in military operations, and scores of women and children were released during a weeklong cease-fire with Hamas last November. More than 100 captives still remain in Gaza, at least 30 of whom are believed to be dead.

The operations to free hostages by force have often resulted in high death tolls in Gaza. Israeli military officials have said that only a cease-fire agreement with Hamas will allow for most of those still being held to return home.

Here is a look at some of Israel’s previous operations that freed hostages or retrieved their bodies:

Oct. 30, 2023: Less than a month after the Hamas-led attacks, the Israeli military said it had rescued an Israeli soldier who had been abducted from an army base. The soldier was identified as Pvt. Ori Megidish, 19.

Dec. 12: Two hostages were found dead and their bodies repatriated to Israel, the military said. The operation to locate them resulted in the deaths of two Israeli service members.

Dec. 15: Israeli troops shot and killed three hostages whom they mistook for Palestinian militants. The three — Yotam Haim, Samer Talalka and Alon Shamriz — had emerged shirtless from a nearby building, waving a white flag, according to the military. The shootings shocked the country and heightened fears that more captives could be unintentionally hit by Israeli fire.

Feb. 11, 2024: Israeli security forces said they had freed two hostages being held in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. The hostages were identified as Fernando Simon Marman, 60, and Louis Har, 70.

Officials in Gaza said that accompanying Israeli strikes had killed dozens of Palestinians in Rafah.

June 8: Four hostages were rescued alive from Nuseirat, in central Gaza, amid one of the most intense Israeli bombardments of the war. The hostages were identified as Noa Argamani, 26; Andrey Kozlov, 27; Almog Meir Jan, 22; and Shlomi Ziv, 41.

Palestinian health officials said 274 people were killed, including 64 children, during the rescue operation. Israel put the total number of dead at around 100. Neither toll distinguished between civilians and combatants.

The New York Times found that Israeli strikes that were part of the rescue operation had destroyed or damaged at least 42 buildings. The areas hit included apartment buildings and a crowded market, helping to explain the high death toll.

Aug. 20: Israel said it had retrieved the bodies of six hostages, five of whom were previously known to be dead.

Aug. 27: The Israeli military said it had rescued Farhan al-Qadi, 52, an Israeli Arab, during an operation in southern Gaza. He was found alone, without guards, in a room roughly 25 yards underground, the officials said.

Mr. al-Qadi, who is from a village near the southern city of Rahat, Israel, the military said, had worked as an unarmed security guard in Magen, a small Israeli kibbutz near the border with Gaza. He was abducted alongside about 250 others on Oct. 7.

Mr. al-Qadi is a member of the country’s Bedouin Arab minority and the first Israeli Arab hostage to be rescued alive since October.