THE DAD of one of the four hostages freed by Israeli forces yesterday tragically died just hours before the heroic rescue operation.
Yossi Jan, 57, passed away before he could learn about Almog Meir Jan’s freedom who was held captive for eight months inside Gaza.
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It is understood that the grieving dad had a cardiac arrest just the night before Almog was brought back to Israeli soil.
He was said to be patiently waiting in pain and agony for his son’s return for the past eight months.
Dina Jan, Almog’s aunt, told Kan public broadcaster: “My brother died of grief and didn’t get to see his son return. The night before Almog’s return, my brother’s heart stopped. He didn’t get to see his son return
“We are very happy about Almog’s return, but the brain is unable to absorb that this is the end. We are broken.”
more on the rescue operation
Incredible pictures from yesterday showed Almog reacting with a thumbs-up after being rescued by the IDF.
He was taken to a hospital for health checks where he was greeted by the rest of the family in a teary reunion.
However, the only person missing from the pictures was his dad who died waiting for his return.
Almog’s aunt said Yossi lived alone in Kfar Saba and was always “stuck to the TV” to find updates about his son who was held captive by Hamas terrorists.
“He loved Almog so much, cared for him so much, wanted to know what was happening to him and what he was going through,” she added.
Dina said she received a call from the IDF to inform her family about Almog’s rescue operation.
The Israeli army tried reaching out to Yossi first but the calls went unanswered.
He will now be buried today in a private funeral only attended by close family members, the Times of Israel reports.
October 7 hostage Almog Meir Jan was rescued by the Israeli Defence Forces yesterday in a daring operation inside the Gaza Strip.
The other three hostages freed by the Israelis include Noa Agramani 25, Andrey Kozlov 27, and Shlomi Ziv, 40.
IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari said their forces came under heavy fire during today’s rescue mission.
Commandos working to save the hostages responded by firing “from the air and from the street”, he said.
Hagari said: “We know about under 100 [Palestinian] casualties. I don’t know how many of them are terrorists.”
The IDF has said that the four hostages were being held by terrorists in the homes of Gaza families in two Hamas-controlled buildings.
Rescued Israeli hostage Noa Agramani was seen hugging her dad in a tearful reunion after finally being freed from eight months of Hamas’ captivity.
Her plight became one of the most harrowing and recognisable images as the world came to terms with the atrocity on October 7.
Harrowing footage showed the moment Noa was snatched by Hamas terrorists and dragged away before being taken to Gaza.
She was seen being loaded onto a motorbike as she pleaded with them “Don’t kill me”.
It was a video that shocked the world.
She was at the Nova music festival in the desert when the militants dragged her away on a motorcycle as she begged “Don’t kill me”.
However, the young girl was all smiles after being freed – and was seen enjoying a bottle of chilled coke alongside father Yakov.
Noa will soon meet her mum Liora who has been suffering from stage four brain cancer – and had previously said all she wanted was to see her kidnapped daughter “one more time”.
Liora, 61, previously told the Times of Israel: “I want to see her one more time. Talk to her one more time.
“I don’t have a lot of time left in this world.”
The brave mum’s wish will now soon become a reality and she will finally be able to see her lovely daughter.
Praising the rescue operation that freed her daughter, Yakov said: “Let’s not forget, there are still 120 hostages, and we have to free them.
“We have to make every effort, in any way we can, to bring them to Israel and their families.”
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All four hostages were found in two different locations in a daring daylight raid by Israeli special forces.
Noa was rescued at one site, while Meir Jan, Kozlov, and Ziv were at the second Hamas base.
Hundreds of soldiers took part in the “complex operation”.
Hamas’ media office claimed “210 martyrs” had been killed in the Israeli operation – but this figure was disputed by medics on the ground who gave much lower estimates of around 70.
Israel claims some 116 hostages are still held by Hamas terrorists inside Gaza.
Many of the remaining hostages include children including young girls, women and the elderly.
Netanyahu says his country will continue to “fight with our fingernails” despite international authorities calling for a ceasefire.
Israel’s military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said their forces came under heavy fire during today’s rescue mission.
Commandos working to save the hostages responded by firing “from the air and from the street”, he said.
Hagari said: “We know about under 100 [Palestinian] casualties. I don’t know how many of them are terrorists.”
The IDF said that the four hostages were being held by terrorists in the homes of Gaza families in two Hamas-controlled buildings.
HOSTAGE KILLED
It comes after British-Israeli hostage Nadav Popplewell was killed in Hamas captivity just weeks after the terror group taunted his family with a horrifying ten-second clip of him.
He was taken hostage alongside his mother Channah Peri, 79, from their home in Kibbutz Nirim during the horror October 7 bloodbath.
Channah and Nadav were said to have stayed together throughout captivity in a tunnel under Gaza.
Channah was later released on November 24 as part of a temporary ceasefire deal.
Meanwhile, Israel discovered the body of Shani Louk alongside two other hostages inside the Gaza Strip.
German tattoo artist Shani Louk was a victim of the October 7 massacre by Hamas when she was kidnapped from the Nova festival.
Israeli Defence Forces spokesman Daniel Hagari shared the tragic news and said hostages Amit Buskila and Itzhak Gelerenter were also found in the Strip.
He confirmed that all three were killed by Hamas terrorists during the music festival slaughter on October 7 and their bodies were taken to Gaza.
THE IDF IN RAFAH
Just days ago, Israel was told to immediately cease its operation in Rafah, a southern part of the Gaza Strip where countless Palestinians have been sheltering.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) said the humanitarian crisis in Rafah had “deteriorated further”, with the situation now “disastrous”.
ICJ President Nawaf Salam said: “Israel must immediately halt its military offensive.”
The global court accused Israel of limiting aid to Gaza, which they deny.
Chief ICC prosecutor Karim Khan had requested arrest warrants for  Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes in the Strip.
Hamas leaders were also included in the requests for international warrants.
The assault on Rafah in recent weeks comes as the IDF looks to seek and destroy any last remnants of Hamas so the war can be over.
Israel says the city is Hamas’ last major stronghold in the Gaza Strip.
They have been “eliminating terrorists” and “terrorist infrastructure” with hundreds of “terror targets” already being hit.
Repeated airstrikes have also been ongoing since the start of May with three “significant” tunnel shafts also being found.
Military tanks encircled the entire eastern half of the refugee-filled city as the planned assault started.
It is believed the remaining hostages are still being held underground inside the web of Hamas hideouts.
The death toll of Israel’s military operation in Gaza has now passed at least 35,000 Palestinian civilians, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
Half of hamas WIPED OUT since October 7
By Jessica Baker, Foreign News Reporter
RUTHLESS militant group Hamas has lost half its members since it began its assault on Israel and murdered 1,200 civilians on October 7.
The terrorist organisation has reportedly been left with no choice but to rely on hit-and-run insurgent tactics to fend off Israeli forces.
Hamas, which rules the densely-populated enclave of Gaza, has been reduced to between 9,000 and 12,000 fighters, according to three senior US officials familiar with battlefield developments.
The group was estimated to have had 20,000 to 25,000 members before it launched its unprecedented attack on Israel last year.
Members of the terror group are now largely relying on ambushes and improvised bombs to hit Israeli targets instead of engaging in sustained battles with Israeli forces.
The shift in tactics comes as Israel’s military closes in on Rafah, a city in the south of Gaza near the border of Egypt where Israel says Hamas militants have been hiding.
Terrorists are believed by Israel to be trying to conceal themselves among civilians, seeking shelter in places such as schools.
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