The case of Israeli soldier Ori Megidish: Skepticism surrounds her release from Gaza

The announcement of the release of the Israeli soldier, Ori Megidish, from captivity in Gaza came as a surprise to many. The operation was carried out secretly, involving a joint effort by the Israeli Army, Mossad, and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency).

Israeli intelligence deliberately kept the operation's details confidential, except for acknowledging the participation of Mossad and Shin Bet, indicating that the information leading to the release of the captive came from agents.

The revelation of the operation upset some intelligence officials. Still, as soon as the announcement of Ori Megidish's release became public, analyzing the situation and the news began.

However, Hamas claimed that they had not released any male or female prisoners in the previous hours, raising doubts about the Israeli narrative.

To support their skepticism, they pointed to a Facebook account named Ori Megidish, posted on October 12, just six days after Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. This led to questions about how Ori Megidish could be held captive yet active on social media.

Upon closer examination of the account on Tuesday morning, the profile disappeared for a few hours, then reappeared empty without any content. Some also questioned the authenticity of the release operation, wondering how Ori Megidish could maintain intact nail polish for three weeks while in captivity.

Furthermore, the Al-Qassam Brigades went even further by publishing a list of prisoners whom Israel had previously claimed were in Hamas's custody. Still, Ori Megidish's name was absent from the list. Another list published by Yedioth Ahronoth also did not include her name.

The Al-Qassam Brigades emphasized that any opportunity for a live hostage to exit its grasp would be akin to resurrecting Nachshon Wachsman to life. Wachsman was an Israeli soldier who was held captive by Hamas in Ramallah and killed during a rescue attempt in 1994.