Israel Says Four Hostages Freed from Gaza
Four Israeli hostages — Noa Argamani, Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov, and Shlomi Ziv — have been rescued alive from two locations in a special operation in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, the Israeli military said Saturday....
Facts
- Four Israeli hostages — Noa Argamani, Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov, and Shlomi Ziv — have been rescued alive from two locations in a special operation in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, the Israeli military said Saturday.1
- The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the hostages — who were kidnapped by Hamas from the Nova Music and Dance Festival during the Oct. 7 attack last year — were in 'good medical condition' and have been transferred to a hospital in Ramat Gan for medical checks.2
- The Israeli military added the rescue operation — which involved airstrikes — was conducted inside a residential complex, wherein armed Hamas militants had allegedly kept the Israeli hostages hidden among Gaza civilians.3
- They are the third rescued after IDF Corporal Ori Megidish was rescued last October from northern Gaza, and two others — Fernando Marman and Louis Har — were freed from southern Rafah in February. Some 116 remain in the besieged enclave, including 41 the Israeli army says are dead.4
- Meanwhile, Palestinian officials claim that the Israeli rescue operation in the central Gaza Strip killed at least 270 people.5
- This comes a day after an Israeli airstrike on a UN-run school in central Gaza killed more than 40 Palestinians, including children, and the UN added Israel to the global list of offenders who failed to protect children last year.6
Sources: 1Timesofisrael, 2NPR Online News, 3Reuters, 4CNN, 5Independent and 6Guardian.
Narratives
- Pro-Israel narrative, as provided by Timesofisrael. Kudos to Israeli intelligence and special forces for the high-risk, complex, and heroic operation to rescue and reunite innocent citizens with their families after eight months. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must complete the mission and return home all the hostages — those alive for rehabilitation and the deceased for burial.
- Pro-Palestine narrative, as provided by Al Jazeera. It's the time to mourn and reflect, not celebrate — more than 100 innocent Palestinians have lost their lives amid heavy shelling and artillery fire to rescue four Israelis. Netanyahu should reach an agreement for a cease-fire and hostage release with Hamas to end the bloodshed in Gaza.
