Israeli forces on Saturday rescued four hostages kidnapped at the Nova music festival who had been held by Gaza militants for eight months.
Israel has used military force to rescue only a handful of hostages since the Hamas-led terrorist attack on Oct. 7. Saturday's rescue operation took place in Nusserat in central Gaza, where health officials reported dozens of Palestinians were killed.
Here's what we know about the four hostages who were brought back to Israel.
Noah Agamemnon
Noa Argamani, 26, was taken hostage along with her boyfriend, Avinatan Or, during the attack on October 7. Videos circulating online showed Ms. Argamani screaming in despair as she was placed on a motorcycle and taken into Gaza.
Ms Algamani and her boyfriend were kidnapped at the Rising Stars music festival in southern Israel, where armed men carried out a brutal attack on partygoers.
Ms. Aljamani’s plight has attracted widespread attention in part because her mother, Liora, has brain cancer and has been seriously ill in recent months.
“I don’t know how long I have left to live,” his mother said last year. “I want to see my Noah at home.”
Andrei Kozlov
Andrei Kozlov, 27, was abducted while working as a security guard at the festival. He had recently immigrated to Israel from Russia and was living in the central Israeli city of Rishon LeZion.
In January, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov told Hamas officials that the release of civilians captured in the Oct. 7 attack, including Kozlov and two other Russian citizens, should be expedited, according to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Videos shared on social media on Saturday showed Kozlov smiling as he was escorted by a military helicopter.
Almog Meir Jan
According to the Hostage Families Forum, 22-year-old Almog Meir Young was kidnapped the day before he was to start a new job at a technology company.
In December, Sky News broadcast an interview with his mother, Orit, who said her son called her at 7.45am on October 7 to describe the chaotic scenes at the festival.
“Mom, they’ve closed the festival,” she recalled him saying. “There are rockets and gunfire everywhere.”
A video of Mr Yang's family celebrating his release was posted on social media on Saturday. “I'm so excited,” his mother said.
Shlomi Ziv
Shlomi Ziv, 41, worked as a security guard at the festival. He and his wife, Milan, lived in the northern Israeli community of Elkosh, according to the Hostage Families Forum.
