DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel conducted a successful rescue operation on Saturday to free four hostages abducted during the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7. This operation marks the largest recovery effort since the beginning of the war. The Health Ministry reported that at least 94 Palestinians, including children, were killed during heavy fighting in central Gaza.
The Israeli army confirmed the rescue of Noa Argamani, 25; Almog Meir Jan, 21; Andrey Kozlov, 27; and Shlomi Ziv, 40. The operation, which took place in Nuseirat, involved raiding two locations simultaneously, amidst gunfire and under daylight conditions. All four hostages were reported to be in good health and were airlifted for medical evaluation and reunions with their families after spending 246 days in captivity.
Argamani was a well-known hostage, having been kidnapped from a music festival in southern Israel. Footage of her abduction, where she was snatched while on a motorcycle as she begged for her life, was among the first videos to surface.
Her mother, Liora, who is battling stage four brain cancer, released a video in April pleading to see her daughter before her health deteriorates further.
An ecstatic Argamani spoke to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the phone. In a released message, Netanyahu enquired about her well-being, to which she responded with excitement, stating that she hadn’t heard Hebrew in a long time.
Netanyahu affirmed that Israel does not yield to terrorism and employs inventive and audacious strategies to bring back abductees. He promised to persist in the fight until all hostages are liberated.
The bodies of almost 100 Palestinians killed were transported to Al-Aqsa Hospital, where many of the wounded were also admitted. Witnesses reported seeing casualties from the Nuseirat and Deir al-Balah areas being brought in, as smoke billowed in the background.
Israel’s military stated that the offensive was in response to threats against its troops in the region. Sadly, one commando lost his life from injuries sustained in the operation.
Hamas had taken around 250 hostages during the Oct. 7 attack, resulting in approximately 1,200 casualties. A brief ceasefire in November led to the release of about half of the hostages. Currently, 120 hostages remain, with 43 confirmed deceased. survivors include about 15 women, two children below five years, and two elderly men.
This latest hostage rescue operation brings the tally of liberated captives to seven. Prior to this, two men were rescued in February and a woman was saved after the October attack. Additionally, Israeli troops have recovered at least 16 hostage bodies.
The successful rescue is anticipated to uplift spirits in Israel during a time when the conflict persists, and disagreements mount on the best approach to secure the release of captives.
The impact of this operation on the stalled cease-fire efforts remains uncertain. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to visit the Middle East in the coming week with hopes of a breakthrough.
Netanyahu faces increasing pressure to end the hostilities in Gaza. While many Israelis urge him to accept a deal proposed by U.S. President Joe Biden last month, far-right allies threaten to destabilize his government if he complies.
Internationally, there is mounting pressure on Israel to minimize civilian casualties in the Gaza conflict. Gaza’s Health Ministry reported over 36,700 Palestinian fatalities in the eight-month-long war, without distinguishing between combatants and civilians. Widespread hunger among Palestinians persists due to the disruption of aid supplies caused by fighting and Israeli restrictions.
Israel’s military operations in central Gaza, where the hostages were rescued, are escalating. A recent airstrike on a U.N.-run school compound in Nuseirat resulted in the deaths of over 33 individuals, including women and children.
Israel claims that approximately 30 militants were present at the time of the airstrike and released the names of 17 militants they allege were killed. However, hospital records indicate that only nine of those names match with the deceased in the morgue, including an 8-year-old boy.
Israeli military officials emphasized that “Hamas is a terror organization that frequently uses deceptive tactics, such as disguising terrorists as women or children.”
Mednick and Jeffrey reported from Jerusalem.
Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Gaza at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
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