Noa Argamani | |
|---|---|
נועה ארגמני | |
 Screenshot of video showing Noa's abduction | |
| Born | 12 October 1997 |
| Nationality | Israeli |
| Known for | Abduction at the Re'im music festival massacre |
On 7 October 2023, Noa Argamani (Hebrew: נועה ארגמני), an Israeli woman, was abducted by Hamas during the Re'im music festival massacre, part of the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. In one of the first Hamas videos released of the massacre, she was seen being taken away on a motorcycle as she yelled, "Don't kill me!" Her arms were outstretched toward her boyfriend Avinatan Or, who was also kidnapped.[1][2][3][4] The footage of her kidnapping became a symbol of the hostage crisis and led to Argamani being described as "the face of the Nova music festival hostages".[5]
In March 2024, Argamani’s Chinese-born mother Liora, who was suffering from late-stage brain cancer, made a public plea to see her daughter one last time. She urged US President Joe Biden to help secure her daughter's release. The family had indications that Argamani was still alive, as she had appeared in a Hamas video released in January 2024.[6]
On 8 June 2024, after 245 days in captivity, Argamani and three other hostages were rescued from Gaza in a joint operation by the Israel Defense Forces, Shin Bet, and the Israel Police that also killed at least 274 Palestinians according to the Gaza Health Ministry.[7] She was subsequently reunited with her family, although her mother died three weeks after her rescue.[8]
- ^ O'Kane, Caitlin (10 October 2023). ""Her name is Noa": Video shows woman being taken by Hamas at Supernova music festival where at least 260 were killed - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
- ^ "Festivalgoers, children, soldiers: What we know about the people captured by Hamas". CNN. 8 October 2023. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
- ^ Lajka, Arijeta; Mellen, Riley (8 October 2023). "Video captures concertgoer being kidnapped by militants". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
- ^ Cohen, Rebecca. "Noa Argamani's friend says no one can escape videos and firsthand accounts of the Hamas attacks". Business Insider. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
- ^ "Noa Argamani became the face of the Nova music festival hostages". NBC News. 19 December 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
- ^ Kennedy, Niamh (8 June 2024). "Israel rescues four hostages in operation Gazan officials say killed more than 200". CNN. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
- ^ "Gaza health ministry says Israel hostage rescue killed 274 people". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
- ^ Barber, Harriet; Smith, Benedict (8 June 2024). "'We've come to take you home': Noa Argamani's 245 days of captivity are finally over". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 28 June 2024.