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2024 Nuseirat rescue operation

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2024 Nuseirat rescue operation
Date8 June 2024
Location
Nuseirat refugee camp
Result
  • Release of 4 Israeli hostages
  • One Yamam soldier killed
  • At least 210 Palestinians killed and dozens injured (per Health Ministry)[1]
  • Less than 100 Palestinian casualties (per IDF)[2]

The Nuseirat rescue operation (codenamed Operation Arnon[3] or Operation Seeds of Summer) was carried out by Yamam (Israel's national counter-terror and hostage rescue unit), the Shin Bet and Israel Defense Forces in the Nuseirat refugee camp on 8 June 2024. This mission successfully rescued four Israelis—Noa Argamani, Shlomi Ziv, Almog Meir Jan, and Andrey Kozlov—who had been kidnapped from the Re'im music festival massacre, during Hamas' October 7 attacks.[4][5]

The operation targeted a school and market place simultaneously, and the hostages were uninjured. A Yamam soldier, Arnon Zemora, was seriously injured during the operation and later died.[6][7]

According to the Hamas-run Gazan Health Ministry, this operation led to the deaths of at least 210 Palestinians in the Nuseirat refugee camp, including women and children, and dozens of injuries.[8][9][10] [11]

Background

See also: Israel-Hamas war

On 7 October 2023, Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel. As part of the attack, in which the Palestinian Islamic Jihad organization was also involved, thousands of rockets were launched towards the State of Israel and about 3,000 militants from the Gaza Strip infiltrated dozens of Israeli kibutzim and military installations and massacred civilians in nearby kibutzim and the Re'im music festival. As part of the attack, Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad kidnapped hundreds of Israelis, civilians and soldiers.[12] This attack led to the Israel–Hamas war.[12]

The Nuseirat refugee camp is a long standing UNRWA refugee camp located in the middle of the Gaza Strip, in Deir al-Balah.[13] The camp has been repeatedly bombed during the Israel-Hamas war, with over a hundred Palestinians being killed in the attacks, the most recent attack on the camp occurred only days before the rescue operation with IDF forces striking the UNRWA school in the camp killing at least 33 people.[14][15][16][17]

This operation was the third successful hostage rescue operation completed by the IDF since the start of the war. IDF Corporal Ori Megidish was rescued in October 2023 from the northern part of the Gaza Strip, and two male hostages were rescued in February 2024 from southern Rafa.[18] Additionally a number of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners have been exchanged through out the war starting in November 2024.[19]

Hostages

Further information: Israel–Hamas war hostage crisis
Missing posters in January 2024

All four hostages recovered had been kidnapped from the Re'im music festival, and were identified as Noa Argamani, Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov, and Shlomi Ziv.[18]

Argamani, was shown in one of the initial videos released by Hamas documenting the massacre. She was seen being taken away on a motorcycle while yelling, "Don't kill me!" Her arms are outstretched towards her boyfriend, Avinatan Or, who was also being kidnapped.[20][21] This footage became emblematic of the hostage crisis, leading to Argamani being described as "the face of the Nova music festival hostages."[22][23] Argamani’s mother, Liora, a Chinese citizen with late-stage brain cancer, made a public plea to see her daughter one last time, urging US President Joe Biden to help secure her release. The family had indications that Noa was alive, as she appeared in a Hamas video released in January 2024.[18]

Rescue

The IDF said that they worked with Shin Bet and Israeli police to free the four Israeli hostages.[6] The operation was planned for several weeks, and was carried out after an intelligence opportunity arose. During the operation, the Southern Command and the Air Force said they exchanged fire with Hamas militants.[4] An IDF spokesman said its forces were fired upon inside buildings and during their withdrawal from Gaza."[24]

A witness in the camp reported a "crazy bombardment" occurred suddenly in the camp, while another stated that the strike occurred when people were sleeping.[18] Witnesses reported that entire residential blocks were wiped out.[8]

The abductees were rescued in the morning from two different buildings in the center of Nusseirat.[6] During captivity they were held in a civilian environment, with the IDF claiming this was an intentional method by their captors.[4] An IDF spokesperson said the that hostages were guarded by armed militants and were being hidden among Gazan civilians.[25]

The abductees were not injured, and were transferred to Sheba Medical Center.[24]

Casualties

Palestinian health officials reported the deaths of at least 210 people in the operation, including children. Dr. Tanya Haj-Hassan, a paediatric intensive care doctor with Doctors Without Borders, stated that Al-Aqsa hospital, where many of the affected victims were transported, was a "complete bloodbath."[8][26][25] The Gaza Health Ministry did not say how many of the casualties were combatants.[25]

The operation also resulted in the death of Chief Inspector Arnon Zamora, an Israeli officer in the elite Yamam counter-terrorism unit.[27] The operation's codename was subsequently changed to "Operation Arnon" in his honor. [3]

According to Hamas spokesman Abu Obaida, the operation resulted in the deaths of several other Israeli hostages.[28]

Aftermath

Argamani was reunited with her father and transported to Sheba hospital to be reunited with her mother, where she was being treated for cancer.[29] Upon receiving the news celebrations begun spontaneously across Israel. Israeli life guards told beach goers of the rescue and people responded with cheers and singing.[30]

During a phone call with Argamani, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that "we didn't give up on you for a moment."[31]

Reactions

International community

  •  United States: United States President Joe Biden lauded the rescue of hostages.[32]
  •  France: President Emmanuel Macron Macron praised the hostage rescue and called for a lasting political solution to the war in Gaza.[33]
  •  Germany: Chancellor Olaf Scholz wrote that the rescue of the hostages was a "important sign of hope", adding that "four hostages are now free. Hamas must finally release all hostages. The war must end".[34]

UN

  •  United Nations: UN Secretary General António Guterres stated that he had sent messages to the families of rescued hostages Noa Argamani and Shalomi Ziv, in order to express his "relief that they and two other hostages are now free." Guterres added, "I renew my appeal for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and for an end to this war."[35]

Palestinian factions

  •  Hamas issued a press release on 8 June calling the actions of the IDF and Israeli military a "horrible massacre against innocent civilians."[36]

See also

References

  1. ^ https://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2024/Jun/08/israel-rescues-four-hostages-kidnapped-on-october-7-hamas-attack
  2. ^ "IDF says under 100 Palestinian casualties, including terrorists, in rescue op; Hamas claims 210 'martyrs'". The Times of Israel. 8 June 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  3. ^ a b Fabian, Emanuel (2024-06-08). "Name of hostage rescue mission changed to 'Operation Arnon' in honor of slain officer". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
  4. ^ a b c "Four Israeli hostages freed in raid in central Gaza". www.bbc.com. Archived from the original on 2024-06-08. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
  5. ^ i24NEWS (2024-06-08). "IDF rescues 4 Israeli hostages from Gaza: Noa Argamani, Shlomi Ziv, Almog Meir Jan and Andrey Kozlov". I24news. Archived from the original on 2024-06-08. Retrieved 2024-06-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ a b c תורג'מן, מאיר; זיתון, יואב (2024-06-08). "הותר לפרסום: נועה ארגמני, אלמוג מאיר, אנדריי קוזלוב ושלומי זיו חולצו בחיים". Ynet (in Hebrew). Archived from the original on 2024-06-08. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
  7. ^ Barnea, Yuval (2024-06-08). "'A hero of Israel': Yamam soldier Arnon Zamora succumbs to wounds after rescue op". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 2024-06-08. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
  8. ^ a b c "Israeli army says four captives rescued amid heavy strikes on Gaza". aljazeera.com. Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 8 June 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  9. ^ חלבי, עינב; זיתון, יואב (2024-06-08). "דיווחים בעזה: "בית ספר כותר באזור נוסייראת, כוח של צה"ל חדר לשוק"". Ynet (in Hebrew). Archived from the original on 2024-06-08. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
  10. ^ "Death Toll Rises to 210 in Nuseirat Massacre - Hospital Appeals for Blood, Intl. Intervention (VIDEO)". Palestine Chronicle. 2024-06-08. Archived from the original on 2024-06-08. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
  11. ^ "Hamas says 210 killed in Gaza in Israel's operation to rescue 4 hostages". New Indian Express.
  12. ^ a b "Fact Sheet: Israel and Palestine Conflict (9 October 2023) - occupied Palestinian territory | ReliefWeb". reliefweb.int. 2023-10-10. Archived from the original on 2023-10-13. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
  13. ^ "Nuseirat Camp". Archived from the original on 2019-06-16. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
  14. ^ "Israeli strike kills at least 33 people at a Gaza school the military claims was being used by Hamas". AP News. 6 June 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  15. ^ "'Bombings everywhere': No escape for Gaza's displaced". France 24. Archived from the original on 2024-04-07. Retrieved 2024-01-25.
  16. ^ "Israeli bombing of Nuseirat refugee camp targets homes of medical staff". Middle East Eye. Archived from the original on 2024-01-04. Retrieved 2024-01-25.
  17. ^ "Israeli attack kills 13 in Nuseirat refugee camp: Wafa". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 4 January 2024. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  18. ^ a b c d Kennedy, Niamh (2024-06-08). "Israel rescues four hostages in operation Palestinian officials say killed more than 200 people". CNN. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
  19. ^ Abdel-Razek, Omar; Abdel-Aziz, Moaz (November 13, 2023). "Hamas armed wing says it discussed freeing 70 hostages in return for 5-day truce". Reuters. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  20. ^ Davis, Alys (2023-10-08). "What we know about Israeli hostages taken by Hamas". BBC News. Archived from the original on 2023-10-08. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
  21. ^ Fitzgerald, Madeline (2023-10-08). "Family of Terrified Couple Kidnapped By Hamas Releases Video Showing Moment They Were Taken: 'Don't Kill Me!'". The Messenger. Archived from the original on 10 November 2023. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
  22. ^ "Noa Argamani became the face of the Nova music festival hostages", NBC News, archived from the original on December 19, 2023, retrieved December 19, 2023
  23. ^ "Who Are the Four Hostages Rescued in Gaza?". New York Times.
  24. ^ a b Ott, Haley (2024-06-08). "Israel says 4 hostages, including Noa Argamani, rescued in Gaza operation - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
  25. ^ a b c Lubell, Maayan; Al-Mughrabi, Nidal (June 8, 2024). "Israel rescues four hostages in Gaza; Hamas says 210 Palestinians killed in Israeli assault". Reuters.
  26. ^ חלבי, עינב; זיתון, יואב (2024-06-08). "דיווחים בעזה: "בית ספר כותר באזור נוסייראת, כוח של צה"ל חדר לשוק"". Ynet (in Hebrew). Archived from the original on 2024-06-08. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
  27. ^ Fabian, Emanuel. "Police say Officer Arnon Zamora dies of wounds from hostage rescue op". timesofisrael.com. The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 8 June 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  28. ^ "War on Gaza: Israeli forces killed captives during Nuseirat 'massacre', alleges Hamas". www.middleeasteye.net. Middle East Eye. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  29. ^ Ynetnews (2024-06-08). "Watch: after 8 months in Hamas captivity, Noa Argamani reunited with her father". Ynetnews. Archived from the original on 2024-06-08. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
  30. ^ צור, רענן בן; צ'כנובר, יעל (2024-06-08). ""ארבעה חטופים הוחזרו בחיים, עם ישראל חי!": תיעוד החגיגות ברחבי הארץ". Ynet (in Hebrew). Archived from the original on 2024-06-08. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
  31. ^ Kennedy, Niamh (2024-06-08). "Israel rescues four hostages in operation Palestinian officials say killed more than 200 people". CNN. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
  32. ^ Santucci, Kim Hjelmgaard, Ken Tran and Jeanine. "Noa Argamani among 4 hostages rescued from Gaza, Israeli forces say: live updates". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2024-06-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  33. ^ Collins, Michael. "Biden, Macron welcome rescue of four Gaza hostages, repeat call for cease-fire". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
  34. ^ "Germany's Scholz says rescue of 4 hostages 'important sign of hope'". 2024-06-08.
  35. ^ "x.com". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved 2024-06-08.
  36. ^ Kennedy, Niamh (2024-06-08). "Israel rescues four hostages in operation Palestinian officials say killed more than 200 people". CNN. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
  37. ^ "PA's Abbas calls for emergency UNSC meeting after rescue of hostages, citing 'bloody massacre'". timesofisrael.com. The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 8 June 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  38. ^ "210 Killed In Gaza Camp From Where Israeli Hostages Were Rescued: Hamas". NDTV.
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