Over 200 Palestinians have been reported deceased.
Israel rejoices at the return of four individuals abducted by Hamas militants. This resulted in a violent encounter, according to Arab sources. The area's medical facility is not capable of handling the influx of casualties. Palestinian President Abbas demands an immediate gathering of the UN Security Council.
The liberation of four Israeli captives led to fierce clashes in the Gaza Strip, with numerous fatalities reported. Statements from Palestinian officials indicate that at least 210 Palestinians were killed. On the Israeli side, a policeman was killed during the fighting. In the Al-Nuseirat refugee camp, which Israel claims to have saved the captives, about 400 individuals were injured, according to Hamas' media office. The numbers couldn't be confirmed at this time.
The health authority in Gaza, under Hamas control, as well as medical circles in the region, previously mentioned 55 fatalities. However, Israel's army spokesperson, Daniel Hagari, asserted fewer than 100 deaths were connected to the hostage rescue mission. "It's unclear how many of them were terrorists," he added. Militants also utilized civilians as human shields.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas requested an extraordinary meeting of the UN Security Council. The focus would be on discussing the aftermath of the "brutal massacre" by the Israeli army, as reported by the Palestinian news agency Wafa, citing Abbas. He, therefore, urged international intervention to stop the humanitarian disaster in Palestinian territories.
The rescue operation took place, as described by Israeli accounts, through a large-scale joint operation of the military, domestic intelligence agency, and police special units. The imprisoned individuals were allegedly held in multi-storied civilian apartments. Three men resided in a single house, while a young woman was approximately 200 meters away in a different house. They were kept in closed rooms with multiple guards.
The rescue operations occurred simultaneously at both sites in the morning to prevent the militants from receiving warnings about an army operation and potentially killing the hostages in the other facility, Hagari added. The home where the woman was kept had no prior awareness of the military intervention. In the other home, there was a fierce firefight, in which a high-ranking police officer was severely hurt and later perished in the hospital.
The operation involved hundreds of special forces as support, shielding the special forces. The liberated individuals were sheltered by the special forces and transported by vehicle. "We provided them with human shields to protect them from being caught in the crossfire," mentioned Hagari. Eventually, the four were airlifted to an Israeli hospital. Relatives of the freed woman informed Israeli media that the military came to the door in the morning to save her.
The battles in Nuseirat were accompanied by heavy aerial and artillery assaults. Pictures and testimonies from Al-Aksa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, where many wounded were taken, portray a distressing situation. Video recordings and reports that are claimed to show the treating hospital depict blood-soaked victims, dead bodies, and hurt children. Hospital staff report chaos has taken over the clinic.
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The escalation in Gaza Strip was largely due to the Hamas-led operation to free Palestinian captives, resulting in heavy casualties and property damage. The Israeli military reported numerous fatalities and injuries among Hamas militants, with civilians also being caught in the crossfire.
