Saher Nidal Saqr Killed in Israeli Strike in Gaza

A Palestinian man accused by Israeli authorities of taking part in the October 7, 2023 abduction of Israeli hostages Noa Argamani and Avinatan Or has been killed in an Israeli strike in central Gaza, according to Israeli officials and reports from The Times of Israel.

The man, identified as Saher Nidal Saqr, was targeted in Nuseirat in central Gaza. Israeli authorities said he had entered Israel during the October 7 attack and was involved in the abduction of Argamani and Or from the Nova music festival.

According to the Israeli military, the strike was carried out by Israel Police’s elite Gideonim Unit 33. Police later released footage purporting to show the operation that killed Saqr.

Who Was Saher Nidal Saqr?

Israeli authorities have identified Saqr as one of the Palestinians allegedly involved in taking Argamani and Or hostage during the October 7 attack. The abduction became one of the most recognisable moments associated with the assault because footage of Argamani being taken away circulated widely around the world.

The video showed Argamani being transported on a motorcycle while reaching toward Or, who was being held by other militants. The images became a defining representation of the hostage crisis that followed the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel.

Israeli officials said Saqr crossed into Israel during the October 7 assault and later operated in connection with armed groups in Gaza. The Israeli military also accused him of having links to what it described as global jihadist organisations.

The allegations against Saqr went beyond his reported role during the initial attack. The IDF said he had supplied weapons to Hamas during the subsequent war and had more recently participated in planning attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians.

According to the Israeli military, those alleged plans were coordinated with operatives from Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The IDF said the strike was conducted to eliminate what it considered an ongoing threat.

Strike Targets Accused October 7 Participant

The killing of Saqr reflects Israel’s continuing campaign to target Palestinians whom its Security agencies accuse of having participated in the October 7 attack or subsequent attacks against Israelis.

Israeli authorities have said they are continuing to identify and track individuals suspected of involvement in the assault. The Times of Israel reported that Israeli authorities have established a dedicated unit focused on locating Palestinians allegedly involved in the October 7 attack.

The operation against Saqr took place in Nuseirat, an area of central Gaza that has repeatedly been affected by Israeli military operations during the war.

Israeli officials have framed such operations as part of efforts to prevent further attacks and pursue individuals they believe remain involved in militant activity. The claims about Saqr’s activities were made by Israeli military and security authorities and were presented as the basis for targeting him.

Noa Argamani’s Abduction Became a Symbol of the Hostage Crisis

Argamani was 26 when she was abducted from the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023. Her image on the back of a motorcycle, reaching toward Or as she was taken away, quickly became one of the most widely recognised images of the hostage crisis.

Argamani and Or had attended the music festival when the Hamas-led attack began. They were separated during the abduction, with Argamani taken away while Or was held separately by other militants.

For months, Argamani’s family and supporters campaigned for the release of hostages still held in Gaza. Her case received extensive international attention as negotiations and military efforts to secure the hostages continued.

Argamani Rescued in June 2024

Argamani was rescued by Israeli forces in June 2024 along with three other hostages during an Israeli military operation in Gaza.

Her rescue brought an end to months of captivity and was followed by a public message in which she called attention to those who remained hostage.

In her first public message after returning home, Argamani said that she could not forget the hostages who were still being held in Gaza. She urged continued efforts to secure their release.

I’m home now, but we cannot forget the hostages that are still being held captive in Gaza.

At the time of Argamani’s rescue, Or remained in captivity. The separation of the couple had become an important part of the public story surrounding their abduction.

Avinatan Or Was Later Released

Or remained in Gaza after Argamani’s rescue and was eventually released in October 2025, according to reports from The Times of Israel.

His release meant that the two were ultimately reunited after spending a prolonged period apart following their abduction from the Nova festival.

Their story illustrates the long-running consequences of the October 7 attack, when thousands of people were killed or taken hostage and the ensuing conflict transformed the region.

Israel Says Saqr Continued Militant Activity

The Israeli military’s description of Saqr focuses not only on his alleged participation in the October 7 hostage-taking but also on activities it says he carried out during the war.

According to the IDF, Saqr was involved in supplying weapons to Hamas and had more recently taken part in preparations for attacks against Israeli troops and civilians. Israeli officials said those activities involved cooperation with Hamas and Islamic Jihad operatives.

The military said the decision to target him was based on the threat it attributed to his activities. The strike was conducted by the Gideonim Unit 33, an elite Israeli police unit, according to the report.

Police subsequently released footage connected to the operation. Such footage has increasingly been used by Israeli security authorities to document targeted operations and provide their account of events.

October 7 Suspects Remain a Focus of Israeli Operations

The killing comes as Israeli security authorities continue efforts to locate people they accuse of participating in the October 7 attack.

The attack and the subsequent hostage-taking created a major security priority for Israel. Beyond military operations against Hamas and other armed groups, Israeli agencies have sought to identify individuals believed to have crossed into Israel, taken part in killings or abductions, or supported the operation in other ways.

Israeli authorities have said that tracking those individuals remains part of their broader security campaign. The establishment of a dedicated unit to pursue suspected October 7 participants reflects the continued importance of the issue more than two years after the attack.

The Broader Context of the Hostage Crisis

The fate of the hostages became one of the central issues of the Israel-Gaza war. Families and supporters repeatedly called for the release of those still held, while Israeli authorities pursued military and diplomatic efforts to bring them home.

Argamani’s rescue in June 2024 was one of the most closely watched hostage operations of the conflict. Her subsequent reunion with Or after his release in October 2025 brought a later chapter to a story that had begun with the widely circulated footage from the Nova festival.

The killing of Saqr now adds another development to that story. Israeli authorities have described him as a participant in the original abduction and as someone who remained involved in militant activity during the war.

Those allegations form the basis of Israel’s account of why he was targeted. The Israeli military said his elimination was intended to remove a continuing threat to Israeli troops and civilians.

What the Latest Strike Means

The reported killing demonstrates that individuals accused by Israel of involvement in the October 7 attack continue to be pursued as part of its military and security operations in Gaza.

For the families affected by the hostage crisis, the October 7 attack remains closely connected to the continuing conflict and the efforts to identify those responsible for abductions and other crimes. Argamani’s case has remained particularly prominent because of the footage documenting her abduction and her eventual rescue.

Israeli authorities have continued to distinguish between the broader military campaign and targeted operations against individuals they identify as direct threats. In Saqr’s case, the IDF said the decision to strike was based on his alleged involvement in weapons supply and planning attacks after the original October 7 assault.

The latest operation therefore links two stages of the conflict: the original hostage-taking at the Nova festival and the prolonged Israeli campaign to pursue individuals accused of participating in the attack or maintaining militant operations during the war.

While Argamani and Or have now both returned from captivity, the wider legacy of the October 7 attack continues to shape Israeli military operations and the broader conflict in Gaza.