DOHA/JERUSALEM: Israel freed two Israeli-Argentine hostages held by Hamas in Rafah on Monday in a ferocious rescue operation which killed 67 Palestinians within the southern Gaza metropolis the place about a million civilians have sought refuge from months of bombardments.
The mission by the Israeli army, the Shin Wager safety service and a particular police unit, freed Fernando Simon Marman, 60, and Louis Hare, 70, the army mentioned.They have been amongst 250 folks seized in the course of the Oct. 7 raid by Hamas militants that triggered Israel’s battle on Gaza. Greater than 4 months on, a lot of the densely-populated strip of land on the Mediterranean is in ruins, with 28,340 Palestinians useless and 67,984 wounded, based on Gaza well being officers.
The Israeli army says 31 hostages have died in that point, however PM Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned Monday’s rescue confirmed that army stress ought to proceed and he brushed apart worldwide alarm at its plans for a floor assault on Rafah.
US President Joe Biden, who has changing into more and more vocal that Israel shouldn’t perform a floor offensive in Rafah with no plan to guard civilians, is scheduled on Monday to fulfill Jordan’s King Abdullah, who has been on a diplomatic tour of western capitals to push for a ceasefire.
A Reuters journalist on the scene in Rafah noticed an enormous space of rubble the place buildings, together with a mosque, had been destroyed. Israel says lots of these killed are militants; the Gaza ministry says 70% are civilians. “I have been gathering my household’s physique components for the reason that morning, mentioned Ibrahim Hassouna, as a girl knelt over the physique of a younger baby close by. “I solely recognised their toes or fingers.”
An Israeli army spokesman mentioned the hostages have been being held on the second ground of a constructing that was breached with explosives in the course of the raid amid heavy exchanges of gunfire with surrounding buildings. “We have been working a very long time on this operation,” Lt Col. Richard Hecht mentioned. “We have been ready for the proper circumstances.” The Argentine authorities thanked Israel for the rescue of the 2 males, who it mentioned have been twin nationals.
A relative of one of many hostages mentioned he had seen each freed males following their rescue and located them “a bit frail, a bit skinny, a bit pale” however general in good situation. Edan Begerano, Hare’s son-in-law, mentioned the hostages had been sleeping when “inside a minute” the commandos have been within the constructing and masking them as they fought the captors. “We have been a bit shocked, we did not know, we hadn’t anticipated it,” he mentioned of the rescue. Israel’s army mentioned air strikes had coincided with the raid to permit its forces to be extracted.
Hassouna, displaced from northern Gaza, mentioned his family members have been killed not less than 4 km from the army operation. “Now we have nothing to do with something. Why did you bomb us?” he requested. Folks in Rafah mentioned two mosques and several other residential buildings have been hit in additional than an hour of strikes by Israeli warplanes, tanks and ships, which additionally ripped by tents the place folks had taken shelter.
Wounded kids lay ready for remedy within the Kuwait hospital in Rafah. “We have been within the tent, me and all my household, when the bullets all got here at us,” mentioned Mai Al-Najjar, who had shrapnel wounds in her shoulder and face. She fought again tears as she described how her father had been killed within the automotive as they fled. Physician Wael Shakfa mentioned useless and wounded started arriving inside minutes. “Some folks had their legs reduce off and others had their palms reduce off, kids, ladies, aged folks and males,” he mentioned.
The mission by the Israeli army, the Shin Wager safety service and a particular police unit, freed Fernando Simon Marman, 60, and Louis Hare, 70, the army mentioned.They have been amongst 250 folks seized in the course of the Oct. 7 raid by Hamas militants that triggered Israel’s battle on Gaza. Greater than 4 months on, a lot of the densely-populated strip of land on the Mediterranean is in ruins, with 28,340 Palestinians useless and 67,984 wounded, based on Gaza well being officers.
The Israeli army says 31 hostages have died in that point, however PM Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned Monday’s rescue confirmed that army stress ought to proceed and he brushed apart worldwide alarm at its plans for a floor assault on Rafah.
US President Joe Biden, who has changing into more and more vocal that Israel shouldn’t perform a floor offensive in Rafah with no plan to guard civilians, is scheduled on Monday to fulfill Jordan’s King Abdullah, who has been on a diplomatic tour of western capitals to push for a ceasefire.
A Reuters journalist on the scene in Rafah noticed an enormous space of rubble the place buildings, together with a mosque, had been destroyed. Israel says lots of these killed are militants; the Gaza ministry says 70% are civilians. “I have been gathering my household’s physique components for the reason that morning, mentioned Ibrahim Hassouna, as a girl knelt over the physique of a younger baby close by. “I solely recognised their toes or fingers.”
An Israeli army spokesman mentioned the hostages have been being held on the second ground of a constructing that was breached with explosives in the course of the raid amid heavy exchanges of gunfire with surrounding buildings. “We have been working a very long time on this operation,” Lt Col. Richard Hecht mentioned. “We have been ready for the proper circumstances.” The Argentine authorities thanked Israel for the rescue of the 2 males, who it mentioned have been twin nationals.
A relative of one of many hostages mentioned he had seen each freed males following their rescue and located them “a bit frail, a bit skinny, a bit pale” however general in good situation. Edan Begerano, Hare’s son-in-law, mentioned the hostages had been sleeping when “inside a minute” the commandos have been within the constructing and masking them as they fought the captors. “We have been a bit shocked, we did not know, we hadn’t anticipated it,” he mentioned of the rescue. Israel’s army mentioned air strikes had coincided with the raid to permit its forces to be extracted.
Hassouna, displaced from northern Gaza, mentioned his family members have been killed not less than 4 km from the army operation. “Now we have nothing to do with something. Why did you bomb us?” he requested. Folks in Rafah mentioned two mosques and several other residential buildings have been hit in additional than an hour of strikes by Israeli warplanes, tanks and ships, which additionally ripped by tents the place folks had taken shelter.
Wounded kids lay ready for remedy within the Kuwait hospital in Rafah. “We have been within the tent, me and all my household, when the bullets all got here at us,” mentioned Mai Al-Najjar, who had shrapnel wounds in her shoulder and face. She fought again tears as she described how her father had been killed within the automotive as they fled. Physician Wael Shakfa mentioned useless and wounded started arriving inside minutes. “Some folks had their legs reduce off and others had their palms reduce off, kids, ladies, aged folks and males,” he mentioned.
