A Bedouin Arab man rescued in Gaza has urged Israel to strike a deal with Hamas to release all remaining hostages as details of his ordeal in captivity emerged.
The Israeli military said 52-year-old Kaid Farhan Elkadi was rescued on Tuesday “during a complex operation in southern Gaza.”
After returning to his village in southern Israel on Wednesday, Elkady said “his happiness is not complete as long as there are detainees on both sides.”
Meanwhile, a former Israeli mayor said Mr Elkady had had little exposure to sunlight for eight months.
Mr. Elkadi was kidnapped by Hamas during an attack on Israel on October 7 and was the eighth hostage rescued by Israeli forces since the Gaza war began.
On Wednesday, he returned to his hometown of Kakul in the Negev desert after being discharged from the hospital.
Surrounded by journalists and members of the Bedouin community, Mr Elkadi pleaded for the release of all hostages.
“Whether they are Arab or Jewish, there is a family waiting for them. They also want to feel this joy.
“I hope and I pray that this will be over,” he said, revealing that he conveyed the same message in a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday.
“I told Netanyahu yesterday, ‘Try to end this.'”
U.S., Egyptian and Qatari mediators are trying to agree on a ceasefire that would see Hamas release the 104 hostages still being held, including 34 presumed dead, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
Mr Elkadi was allowed to go home after being examined at hospital.
Ata Abu Medigam, the former mayor of the southern Israeli town of Rahat, told Haaretz newspaper that the father of 11 had earlier told his relatives about “the difficult days.” , a very cruel imprisonment.”
“He talked about a hostage who was held with him for two months and died next to him,” Mr. Medigan said.
Medigam added that Mr Elkadi also began to worry that he would lose his eyesight.
“He would check his eyes to see if they were still working and functioning – he would put his fingers over his eyes and check his reactions.”
Mr. Medigan said Mr. Elkady also told relatives that a fellow detainee died next to him while he was in captivity.
The Israeli military said troops found Mr Elkadi “alone” in an underground tunnel.
The military said in a statement that it would not release further details about the rescue “out of concern for the safety of the hostages, force safety and national security.”
But some details about Elkadi’s time in captivity have emerged.
His cousin, Fadi Abu Sahiban, said Mr Elkadi did not receive preferential treatment because he was Muslim.
“They made no concessions to him because he was a Muslim. He said they asked him to pray and that was the only thing they allowed him to do,” he told Haaretz.
Mr. Elkadi was unable to communicate and was constantly worried about bombs overhead, his cousin said.
He “would hear the IDF shelling [Israel Defense Forces] He said his body was shaking,” Mr Abu Sahiban said.
“He was convinced that every day was his last, not only because of the kidnappers but also because of the shelling by the army. He said every day was a life-threatening situation.”
Mr. Elkadi, a grandfather of one, worked for many years as a security guard at Kibbutz Magen, near the border with Israel and Gaza, where he was abducted.
On October 7, an unprecedented attack occurred in southern Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking 251 people hostage. The Israeli military launched an operation to destroy Hamas.
Since then, more than 40,530 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.
In recent days, Cairo has continued indirect talks aimed at brokering a ceasefire and the release of hostages, but so far there has been no sign of a breakthrough on key issues. These included Netanyahu’s request for Israel to station troops on the Gaza-Egyptian border, a request Hamas rejected.
Two other Bedouin Arabs – Yousef Zyadna and his son Hamza – is one of the remaining hostages who is still alive, while the body of the third hostage, Mohammed Atrash, is still being held by Hamas.
Another Bedouin, Hisham Saidhas been held in Gaza since 2015.
