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(TJV)A young woman, Fawzia Amin Sido, who was kidnapped by ISIS at the age of 11 and held captive by Hamas for nearly a decade, has been rescued by Israeli forces in Gaza after a months-long operation supported by the United States, Iraq, and Jordan, officials said on Thursday.
Fawzia, now 21 years old, was reunited with her family in Iraq earlier this week. In emotional footage shared by officials, she is seen embracing her loved ones shortly after returning to her homeland. David Saranga, the director of Israel’s digital diplomacy bureau, confirmed the rescue, tweeting, “Fawzia, a Yazidi girl kidnapped by ISIS from Iraq and brought to Gaza at just 11 years old, has finally been rescued by Israeli security forces. For years, she was held captive by a Palestinian Hamas-ISIS member. She has now been reunited with her family.”
Fawzia’s story is a harrowing reminder of the plight of the Yazidi people. In 2014, more than 6,000 Yazidis were captured by ISIS during a brutal campaign against their communities in northern Iraq. Many of the women and girls, like Fawzia, were sold into sexual slavery, while boys were often forced to train as child soldiers. The Yazidis are a religious and ethnic minority with ancient roots in the Mesopotamian region, and they have long faced persecution for their beliefs. ISIS specifically targeted Yazidis for their unique monotheistic religion, which combines elements of ancient Mesopotamian, Zoroastrian, and Abrahamic traditions.
Fawzia was taken from her home in 2014 during ISIS’s campaign of terror and quickly trafficked to Gaza, where she was held in captivity for the next 10 years by a Hamas-ISIS militant. Though Iraqi officials had been in contact with her for several months, attempts to rescue her were delayed due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. According to officials, prior efforts to free her failed due to the dangerous security situation in the region.
The exact circumstances of Fawzia’s release remain unclear, but a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department said her captor had been killed recently, enabling her to seek help and eventual repatriation. The complex rescue operation, which involved multiple countries, culminated in her safe return to Iraq earlier this week.
Despite her physical recovery, Iraqi officials have said Fawzia is deeply traumatized after a decade in captivity. Her family, emotional but grateful, expressed relief at her return.
While this rescue marks a victory for the many agencies involved, the broader plight of the Yazidi people continues. Of the more than 6,000 Yazidis captured by ISIS in 2014, roughly 3,500 have been rescued or freed in the years since. However, around 2,600 remain missing, with many feared dead or still trapped in captivity.
Fawzia’s rescue shines a light on the ongoing suffering of the Yazidis and serves as a grim reminder of the thousands of men, women, and children who were victims of ISIS’s genocidal campaign. As efforts to find and rescue the remaining Yazidi captives continue, Fawzia’s story stands as a testament to the strength of those who have survived and the enduring hope of those still searching for their loved ones.
