Israel rescues two captives in Rafah, leaving 100 Palestinians dead
Shafaq News/ The Israeli army spokesman, Daniel Hagari, announced on Monday, that the special forces managed to rescue two hostages in Gaza, who are Argentinean-Israeli, in an air strike on the city of Rafah in the south of the Gaza, while local officials reported that it killed around 100 Palestinians.
Hagari detailed the operation in a widely circulated video clip, stating that at 1:49 am on Monday, “Israeli forces, amidst heavy fire, stormed an apartment on the second floor in Rafah, conducting air strikes on the surrounding areas.”
He said “the rescue operation met with fierce resistance from Hamas members, who were fought off by the rescue team members who protected the hostages with their bodies in different places.”
The Israeli army identified the hostages as Fernando Simon Marmann, 60, and Luis Har, 70, who had been held captive for 128 days. The army confirmed that they were in good health and were promptly reunited with their families following their liberation.
On the other hand, the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza reported at least 94 fatalities, including women and children, as a result of the operation.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society indicated a higher death toll, estimating it to be over 100. Additionally, the Rafah municipality stated that at least two mosques and approximately 10 houses were bombed and destroyed during the Israeli operation.
According to Reuters Hamas stated that “three hostages injured in the recent Israeli airstrikes had now died, adding the fate of other wounded hostages was not yet clear.”
Washington welcomed the hostage release, but said it was pushing Israel for a ceasefire and increased aid for Gaza.
The US President Joe Biden has affirmed that the United States is actively engaged in negotiating a minimum six-week ceasefire in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Following a meeting with King Abdullah II of Jordan at the White House on Monday.
Since the beginning of the conflict between Hamas and Israel on October 7, over 1.3 million Palestinians have been forced to flee from different areas of Gaza to the city of Rafah, as reported by the United Nations. Much of the densely populated coastal enclave lies in ruins, with Gaza health officials reporting 28,340 Palestinians dead and 67,984 wounded. It is feared that many others are trapped under the rubble.
