Israeli forces rescued four hostages held by Hamas since October in a raid in the central Gaza Strip area of Nuseirat. The four hostages were kidnapped by Hamas-led militants from the Nova music festival in southern Israel on Oct. 7 last year.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Israeli forces have successfully rescued four hostages held by Hamas in a raid in the central Gaza Strip area of Nuseirat. The hostages were originally kidnapped by Hamas-led militants from the Nova music festival in southern Israel. Among the rescued was Noah Agamani, who has been seen reuniting with her father in a video released by Israel.

The Israeli military released footage of the complex rescue operation, which took place under heavy fire in a densely populated residential neighborhood. According to the Israeli military spokesperson, Daniel Hagari, Hamas had been hiding the captives among civilians in Gaza. The operation included airstrikes and resulted in the death of one Israeli special forces soldier.

In Gaza, Palestinian health officials reported that the military assault killed numerous people, including women and children, although the number of combatant casualties remains unclear. Emergency teams are struggling to manage the casualties in the nearby city of Deir el-Bala. Civilian bodies were reportedly still lying in the streets following the bombing.

The area of Nuseirat had been heavily bombed during the ongoing conflict. According to Israeli reports, Hamas militants killed approximately 1,200 people and took around 250 hostages on October 7. Israeli authorities now estimate there are 116 hostages still in Gaza, with at least 40 officially declared dead. The Palestinian health ministry reported over 36,800 Palestinians have been killed due to Israel's bombardment and invasion of Gaza.



Four Israeli hostages rescued in Gaza

This is the moment three of the four freed Israeli hostages disembarked from a helicopter after Israeli forces rescued them from Nusseirat, an area in central Gaza Strip, on Saturday. The four hostages were kidnapped by Hamas-led militants from the Nova music festival in southern Israel on October 7 last year. The attack precipitated the devastating war in Gaza. The freed hostages also include Noah Agamani, who was seen in a video released by Israel, reuniting with her father. Video of her kidnapping, showing her shouting don't kill me as she was driven into Gaza on a motorbike, had circulated soon after she was taken. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu went to the hospital to meet the rescued hostages. The Israeli military released a video of the rescue operation. Its spokesperson Daniel Hagari said the operation took place under fire in the heart of a residential neighbourhood. He said Hamas had been hiding captives among Gaza's civilians under guard by armed militants. Hagari added that Israeli forces returned fire, including with airstrikes. A police statement said one Israeli special forces soldier was killed during the operation. A very different picture unfolded back in Gaza. Palestinian health ministry officials and local medics said an Israeli military assault in the same area the hostages were rescued killed scores of people, including women and children. The ministry did not say how many of the fatalities were combatants. Emergency response teams were trying to ferry the dead and wounded to hospital in the nearby city of Deir el-Bala, but many bodies were still lying in the streets, according to local residents. Yuseirat, a historic Palestinian refugee camp, has been subjected to heavy Israeli bombing during the war. According to Israeli tallies, Hamas militants killed some 1,200 people and took around 250 hostages back to Gaza on October 7. Israeli authorities say 116 are now left in the enclave, including at least 40 who have been declared dead. Palestinian health ministry said on Saturday that Israel's subsequent bombardment and invasion of Gaza has killed over 36,800 Palestinians.

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Paris

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Taipei

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Paris Olympics

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Washington

Israel-Gaza War

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Dhaka

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