2024 Nuseirat rescue operation
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The Nuseirat operation 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. During the operation, four Israelis who were kidnapped in the Hamas surprise attack on Israel were rescued. The freed hostages are Noa Argamani, Shlomi Ziv, Almog Meir Jan and Andrey Kozlov.[1][2]
The four were kidnapped during the massacre at the Nova festival. The operation for their release took place in two locations at the same time, and they were released in good health. In the operation, an IDF soldier was seriously injured.[3]
The Hamas controlled Gaza Health Ministry and Radio reported different casualties amongst Hamas, with the Health ministry reporting 50 and the radio reporting 80.[4] Following dozens of deaths and injuries among Hamas ranks, the operation was called by Hamas the "Nuseirat Massacre".[citation needed] Hamas radio said that the Israeli special forces conducted the operation in a school and market place in Nuseirat.[5]
Background
On October 7, 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 villages and kibutzim and military installations and massacred civilians in the villages and kibutzim and the "Nova" music party that took place nearby. As part of the attack, Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad kidnapped hundreds of Israelis, civilians and soldiers.[6] This attack led to the Israel-Hamas war.[6]
Among the kidnapped was 25-year-old Israeli woman Noa Argamani, who was abducted during the Re'im music festival massacre. In one of the initial videos released by Hamas documenting the massacre, Argamani is 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. This footage became emblematic of the hostage crisis, leading to Argamani being described as "the face of the Nova music festival hostages."[citation needed]
Rescue
At 13:33 it was allowed to be published that the IDF, the Shin Bet and the police in a three-way effort freed four Israeli hostages in Operation Four Israeli Kidnappers from Gaza.[3] The abductees were rescued in the morning that day, in daylight, from two different locations in the operation in the heart of Nusseirat. The abductees were released in normal medical condition, and they were transferred for further medical examinations at the Sheba Medical Center.[3] They were held in a civilian environment, which the IDF claims was used as a human shield. During the operation, the Southern Command and the Air Force returned fire at the Hamas militants who fired at the rescue forces.[1]
The operation was planned for several weeks, and was carried out after an intelligence opportunity arose.[1]
Aftermath
Following the rescue Noa Argamni was reunited with her father and was subsequently transported to Sheba hospital to be reunited with her mother who is battling cancer.[7]
Upon receiving the news celebrations begun spontaneously across Israel. Israeli life guards told beach goers of the rescue, subsequently there were cheers and singing in the beaches.[8]
See also
References
- ^ a b c "Four Israeli hostages freed in raid in central Gaza". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
- ^ i24NEWS (2024-06-08). "IDF rescues 4 Israeli hostages from Gaza: Noa Argamani, Shlomi Ziv, Almog Meir Jan and Andrey Kozlov". I24news. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ 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). Retrieved 2024-06-08.
- ^ חלבי, עינב (2024-06-08). "משרד הבריאות בעזה: 55 הרוגים במבצע החילוץ במרכז הרצועה". Ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2024-06-08.
- ^ חלבי, עינב; זיתון, יואב (2024-06-08). "דיווחים בעזה: "בית ספר כותר באזור נוסייראת, כוח של צה"ל חדר לשוק"". Ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2024-06-08.
- ^ a b "Fact Sheet: Israel and Palestine Conflict (9 October 2023) - occupied Palestinian territory | ReliefWeb". reliefweb.int. 2023-10-10. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
- ^ Ynetnews (2024-06-08). "Watch: after 8 months in Hamas captivity, Noa Argamani reunited with her father". Ynetnews. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
- ^ צור, רענן בן; צ'כנובר, יעל (2024-06-08). ""ארבעה חטופים הוחזרו בחיים, עם ישראל חי!": תיעוד החגיגות ברחבי הארץ". Ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2024-06-08.
