Following the liberation of four Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip, new details of the dramatic operation continue to emerge. Israeli special forces invaded the Nuseirat refugee district in the middle of the coastal strip in broad daylight on Saturday.
According to media reports on Sunday, three male hostages aged between 22 and 41 were held in a house there, and a 26-year-old was held in another house about 200 meters away.
To surprise the hostages, the troops entered the two buildings simultaneously at 11 a.m. local time. According to the Islamist Hamas-controlled health authority, 274 Palestinians were killed and more than 700 people were injured in the operation, but this cannot be verified.
“Slaughter” of civilians
On the Palestinian side, there was talk of a “massacre” of civilians in Nuseirat, and horrific images of blood-covered wounded and dead people, including children, circulated on social media. According to the information, there were many people in a nearby market at the time of the operation.
Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari said special forces came under fire during the long-prepared operation. Armed Palestinians also used rocket-propelled grenades against the troops. An Israeli officer was killed in the operation.
Israel defends actions
A rescue vehicle carrying the hostages came under heavy fire and became stuck, Israeli media reported on Sunday. Military spokesman Hagari said troops attacked “sources of danger” in Nuseirat from the ground and from the air. The purpose was to allow the rescue team to withdraw from the combat zone. Hagari rejected allegations that the troops entered Nuseirat disguised in humanitarian aid vehicles or through the US pier.
The Israeli army released aerial photos of the moment of the rescue:
The four hostages were eventually flown to Israel by helicopter. The army has released a video showing 26-year-old Noa Argamani being taken into a helicopter on a beach in the Gaza Strip.
Source: Krone
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