Surveillance soldier who was rescued by IDF in Oct. 2023: ‘Liri, Naama, Daniella and Karina. Welcome home!’

Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent

Soldier Ori Megidish, who was taken hostage by Hamas on October 7 and freed in an Israeli military operation in Gaza in late October 2023, at the President's Residence in Jerusalem, January 11, 2024. (Haim Zach/GPO)
Soldier Ori Megidish, who was taken hostage by Hamas on October 7 and freed in an Israeli military operation in Gaza in late October 2023, at the President's Residence in Jerusalem, January 11, 2024. (Haim Zach/GPO)

Ori Megidish, a surveillance soldier who was rescued by IDF troops from Hamas captivity in October 2023, says the return of four of her comrades from the Gaza Strip today is “a moment of light in a complex period.”

“Liri, Naama, Daniella and Karina. Welcome home!” Megidish says in a statement released by the army.

“Your return is a moment of light in a complex period, and it fills us all with a deep sense of empathy and a loving embrace,” she says.

“We continue to wait and pray for the return of Agam Berger and all other hostages,” Megidish says, referring to the last female surveillance soldier still held in Gaza. “Without them, the heart will not be complete.”

Megidish, along with the four soldiers who were released by Hamas earlier today, was among seven soldiers kidnapped by Hamas terrorists from the IDF’s Nahal Oz post on October 7, 2023, when the group launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, murdering some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping 251 to Gaza.

One, Noa Marciano, was killed in Hamas captivity and her body was recovered by IDF troops. One, Agam Berger, remains in captivity and is scheduled to be released from Gaza during the current first phase of the ceasefire.

Most Popular
If you’d like to comment, join
The Times of Israel Community.
Join The Times of Israel Community
Commenting is available for paying members of The Times of Israel Community only. Please join our Community to comment and enjoy other Community benefits.
Please use the following structure: example@domain.com
Confirm Mail
Thank you! Now check your email
You are now a member of The Times of Israel Community! We sent you an email with a login link to . Once you're set up, you can start enjoying Community benefits and commenting.