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The mother of the recently rescued Israeli hostage Noa Argamani has died of Stage 4 brain cancer, Tel Aviv’s Ichilov Hospital said in a brief statement on Tuesday.
Liora Argamani, 61, had pleaded for the release of her daughter, saying she wanted to see her only child before she died.
That hope came true last month when, on June 8, teams of undercover Israeli commandos stormed two apartments simultaneously in the Gaza Strip, rescuing four hostages.
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They were Almog Meir, 21, Andrey Kozlov, 27, Shlomi Ziv, 40, and Noa Argamani, a 26-year-old university student who had been kidnapped by Hamas at the Nova music festival on October 7. She was rescued on her father’s birthday.
The hospital where Liora Argamani was treated says she “spent her final days alongside her daughter Noa, who returned from captivity, and her close family.”
“We relay the family’s request to respect its privacy at this difficult time,” it said in a statement.
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Noa Argamani had emerged as one of the most recognizable faces of the hostage crisis after a video from the October 7 Hamas attack showed her being forced onto a motorbike and shouting at her captors not to kill her.
About a week after the rescue, Israeli authorities released footage of the operation in which the Israeli commandos can be heard telling Argamani: “Noa, everything is fine, we’re taking you home.”
This past weekend, Argamani spoke publicly for the first time since her release, in a video message played at a rally marking 267 days since the Hamas attack. She expressed her deep concern for her parents during her ordeal, and thanks for the overwhelming support her family received.
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“I am Noa Argamani,” she said in the video. “I was taken to Gaza on October 7. Hamas held me for eight months until security forces rescued me on June 8.”
She continued: “As an only child with a mother facing a terminal illness, my greatest worry during captivity was for my parents. After 246 days in Hamas captivity, it’s a profound privilege to be here, to be near my mother after eight months of uncertainty, and to see my parents surrounded by so much support.”
She then paid tribute to Arnon Zmora, a counter-terrorism unit member who died during the rescue operation. “I extend my thanks to our security forces and army — the soldiers, reservists, and everyone who participated in the rescue, risking their lives for my return. My heart goes out to Arnon Zmora’s family. He fell during the operation that freed me and three others. Arnon is a hero of Israel; we are here because of him.”
She continued: “I’m deeply grateful to my family, friends, and all who amplified our voices when we couldn’t speak. To everyone who supported my family and gave of themselves during this long ordeal — it’s deeply moving to return home and learn of all the good people who helped. I must use this platform to remind everyone that 120 hostages remain in Hamas captivity, including my partner, Avinathan Or, from whom I was separated at the moment of capture.”
She concluded with a commitment to those still held captive. “Though I’m home now, I can’t forget those who remain in Hamas captivity. We must do everything possible to bring them back. I wish for quieter days ahead for all of us, surrounded by family, friends, and good people. Most importantly, may we learn to love rather than hate.”
With files from The Associated Press
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