Israeli security forces rescued four hostages from the terrorist organization Hamas in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, the army said. The Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip administration announced that 210 people had been killed in Israeli attacks and another 400 were injured. It is unclear whether the people died during the liberation operations.
The rescue of the hostages was complex and very risky, said Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari. The liberation operations took place at the same time in the morning to avoid advance warning of an army deployment and thus the killing of the hostages in the other building. In the apartment where the woman was located, the guards were completely surprised. A fierce gun battle took place in the other apartment, in which a senior police officer was seriously injured and later died in hospital.
Hundreds of emergency services were stationed in the area at the same time to provide cover for the special forces. The hostages were protected by emergency services and initially transferred into cars. “We give them human shields so they don’t get caught in the crossfire,” Hagari said. Ultimately, the four were flown by helicopter to a clinic in Israel.
The situation is unclear so far
According to an authority from the militant Palestinian organization Hamas, 210 Palestinians are believed to have been killed in connection with the Israeli liberation operation. About 400 people were also injured in Nuseirat, in the center of the coastal area. The information could not initially be independently verified. The Hamas-controlled health authority and medical circles in the Gaza Strip had previously spoken of 55 deaths. Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari said in the evening that fewer than 100 people were killed. “I don’t know how many of them are terrorists,” he said.
Hamas’ media office called it “an unprecedented, brutal attack on the Nuseirat refugee camp.” Al-Aqsa Hospital is in a catastrophic situation. There were reportedly heavy airstrikes and artillery shelling in the area. Footage intended to show scenes from the treating hospital shows bloodied victims, the dead and injured children. According to reports, complete chaos broke out at the Al-Aqsa clinic in Deir al-Balah.
The four freed hostages:
Hamas leader accuses Israel of moral failure
Meanwhile, Hamas’s foreign chief, Ismail Haniyeh, described the recent Israeli operations in Gaza as a “massacre” against the Palestinians. “The enemy continues its massacre against our people, our children and women, in Nuseirat and Deir al-Balah,” he said on Saturday.
Haniyeh said Israel has “failed militarily, politically and morally.” Regarding the ongoing failed negotiations on a possible ceasefire, Haniyeh said Hamas would not agree to an agreement that does not “first and foremost provide security for our people.”
Freed hostages are fine
The four released hostages are a 25-year-old woman and three men aged 21, 27 and 40. They are said to be in good condition and taken to a hospital in Israel. According to reports, all four were kidnapped by Hamas terrorists on October 7 during the Nova music festival. “You are alive. They are doing well,” said army spokesman Hagari, describing the condition of the hostages. They were now expected to be reunited with their families in hospital.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will not bow to “terrorism.” The operation to free all hostages kidnapped by Hamas will continue and the dead will also be returned to Israel.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
