A joint operation conducted by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Shin Bet, and Israeli police in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza has resulted in the rescue of four hostages and the death of over 200 Palestinians. Among the rescued were Noa Argamani, Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov, and Shlomi Ziv, who were abducted during the Nova Music Festival on October 7th, 2023. The four are reported to be in good medical condition. Gaza’s health ministry reported that the IDF operation killed at least 274 Palestinians.
Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu expressed gratitude towards those involved in the operation and pledged to continue efforts to bring all hostages home, stating, “We will not relent until we complete the mission and return all our hostages home, both the living and the deceased.” To date, the IDF has managed to rescue seven hostages, recovered 19 bodies, and mistakenly killed three hostages. Additionally, 41 hostages have been confirmed dead, with their bodies still in Hamas captivity.
Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, condemned the operation as a “gruesome and disproportionate massacre” and called for an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council. He urged international intervention to address the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The United States National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, stated that the US supports all efforts to secure the release of remaining hostages, including American citizens, through ongoing negotiations or other means. He emphasized that a ceasefire deal, which has gained international backing, could facilitate the release of hostages, provide security assurances for Israel, and increase humanitarian aid to Gaza. This deal has received support from the G7, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, UAE, Qatar, and other nations with citizens still held by Hamas.
More information can be found in the original article by JURIST.