In a dramatic turn of events, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy in Israel, successfully orchestrated the rescue of Fauzia Amin Sidou, a 21-year-old Yazidi woman, who had been held captive in Gaza for nearly a decade. The operation highlights an international effort involving U.S. and Israeli forces, as well as coordination with Iraq and Jordan, to free Sidou from the hands of a Hamas operative affiliated with ISIS.
Fauzia was abducted by ISIS when she was just 11 years old during the brutal siege of Sinjar, Iraq, in 2014. After being trafficked and sold multiple times, she was eventually handed over to a Palestinian ISIS affiliate linked to Hamas in Gaza. For years, she endured horrific conditions under captivity, separated from her family and far from her homeland.
The rescue effort, which culminated in her release this week, was the result of years of diplomatic and logistical coordination. Upon her release, Fauzia was transported back to Iraq, where she was reunited with her family, marking the end of her prolonged ordeal. She is now under the care of U.S. authorities in the region, receiving medical treatment and psychological support as she begins the process of reintegration into her community.
The IDF and U.S. officials have been praised for their dedication to this mission, with special recognition going to the efforts of Steve Maman, a Canadian activist known for his work in rescuing Yazidis from ISIS captivity, who played a pivotal role in the operation.
This mission underscores the international community’s ongoing commitment to combatting terrorist networks and rescuing victims of human trafficking, especially in conflict zones like Gaza, where such incidents often go unnoticed by the global media.
