Israeli soldier held hostage by Hamas freed during ground operation

An Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldier who was kidnapped by Hamas on Oct. 7 was freed overnight during ground operations, the IDF said Monday.

The IDF released a statement on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, saying Pvt. Uri Megidish was now home with her family.

“She is home. PVT Megidish was abducted by Hamas on October 7. Tonight, she was released during ground operations. Ori is now home with her family,” the statement read, along with a photo.

The IDF and the Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security service, said Megidish had undergone a medical check and was in “good” condition.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu celebrated her return in a statement on X.

“Welcome home, Uri. I congratulate the Shin Bet and the IDF for this important and exciting achievement, an achievement that expresses our commitment to the release of all the abductees,” he said. 

“The entire nation of Israel salutes the Shin Bet and salutes the IDF. And to the terrorists of Hamas and ISIS I say – you are monsters. We will continue to pursue you, we will continue to hunt you down. We will cripple you until you fall at our feet,” he added.

Israeli leaders similarly pledged to continue to free the remaining hostages, as more than 220 are estimated to remain in Hamas’s custody. Hamas has voluntarily released four civilian hostages.

It was not immediately clear how Israeli forces freed Megidish.

The hostages were taken on Oct. 7, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel’s southern border, killing more than 1,400 Israelis in what became the deadliest day in the country’s history.  

Also on Monday, Hamas released a video of three Israeli hostages in their custody pleading for help and deriding Netanyahu.

Netanyahu’s office described the video as “cruel psychological propaganda” and said, “We are doing everything to bring all the kidnapped and missing people home.”

On Monday, another report surfaced that German Israeli influencer Shani Louk, who was taken hostage at a music festival on Oct. 7, had died.

“I spoke to Shani Louk’s mother, who, after weeks of uncertainty, was notified about her daughter’s death at the hands of Hamas terrorists,” German Ambassador to Israel Steffen Seibert said Monday in a statement on X.

“I can only begin to imagine the family’s pain. All of us at the Embassy had been hoping for Shani, now we mourn with all those who loved her,” he added.