Noa Argamani speaking with G7 embassy representatives during a visit to Tokyo, Japan on August 21, 2024. (Photo: Screenshot)
On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists invaded southern Israel in a surprise terror attack, murdered at least 1,200 men, women and soldiers, and kidnapped at least 250 into Gaza, including the former hostage Noa Argamani.
Argamani, who was rescued with three other hostages in a daring joint IDF-Shin Bet mission in early June, recalled her traumatic experience as a hostage and in constant fear of being killed by Hamas terrorists.
“Every night, I was falling asleep and thinking, this may be the last night of my life,” Argamani told senior G7 embassy representatives during a meeting in the Japanese capital Tokyo on Thursday.
“Until the moment I was [rescued]… I just did not believe that I’m still surviving,” she said.
During a meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, Argamani said it’s a miracle she survived the horrible ordeal as a hostage in Gaza being held by Hamas terrorists.
“And in this moment that I’m still sitting with you, it’s a miracle that I’m here. It’s a miracle because I survived October 7, and I survived this bombing, and I survived also the rescue,” she said.
However, she urged Israel and the international community to rescue her boyfriend Avinatan and the other 100-plus remaining hostages in Gaza.
“Avinatan, my boyfriend, is still there, and we need to bring them back before it’s going to be too late,” she warned.
Argamani criticized the media for taking her words out of context when she described her wounds.
“I said, I had cuts all over my head and I was hurt all over my body,” she said, adding that her injuries were caused by the collapse of a building during an Israeli Air Force (IAF) bombing operation.
“As a victim of October 7, I will not allow myself to be victimized once again by the media,” she stated.
In early June, Argamani and three other Israeli hostages were rescued by Israeli special forces in a daring daytime operation in the Hamas stronghold Nuseirat in central Gaza. The impressive rescue raid was later named “Operation Arnon,” to honor the late Israeli Yamam officer, Arnon Zamora, who tragically lost his life while rescuing the three male Israeli hostages Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov and Shlomi Ziv.
At the time, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant praised the professionalism and heroism of the special forces counter-terrorism unit that conducted the rescue mission.
“This is one of the most impressive, heroic operations I have seen throughout my 47 years in the security establishment,” Gallant stated.
The IDF and Shin Bet “carried out an operation that cannot be surpassed: Boldness, brilliant planning, execution that cannot be surpassed, courage and determination, and all this in close cooperation between all the branches of the security system,” he added.
Prior to the rescue, Argamani’s mother Liora, who was struggling with terminal brain cancer, had pleaded to be reunited with her daughter before her death. The mother and daughter Argamani were reunited after Argamani was rescued, however, she passed away less than one month later from the cancer.
Argamani praised her mother, saying: “My mother is the best friend there is, the most beautiful and strong person I have ever known in my life.”
“I stand here today and still have a hard time digesting. Against all odds I was privileged to be with you in the last moments and to hear the last words,” the former Israeli hostage said.
