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Israeli army frees two elderly men from Hamas violence in Rafah
February 12, 2024, 8:03 am
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As of yesterday, 136 Israelis were being held by Hamas. Now two of them have been found alive and brought to safety during a nighttime military operation near the Egyptian border. Two are in their 60s and 70s.
Israel's military says it has rescued two hostages in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli military announced early today that two people were abducted along the coast during a massacre by Islamist Hamas on October 7. Both are fine and have been taken to hospital for medical examination.
Two hostages, aged 60 and 70, were rescued in Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, during a joint operation by the army, security services and Israeli police at night. According to the Jerusalem Post, the hostages are being held on the second floor of a building in the center of Rafah. Emergency services secretly entered the building as the surrounding apartments were filled with armed terrorists. They tried to attack the rescuers, but were stopped by Israeli soldiers. The Israeli army had earlier announced a series of attacks in the area.
Terrorists from Hamas and other extremist groups killed 1,200 people and abducted 250 during the October 7 attack on Israel. Since then, Israel's military has carried out massive airstrikes and ground attacks against Hamas and its allies in the Gaza Strip. Hamas currently holds 136 people, but according to the Israeli military, at least 30 of them are not alive. According to media reports, the death toll may now be 50.
Netanyahu: Hostages Justify Stop in Rafah
The army said security forces would continue to try “all means” to bring the hostages home. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday ordered the army to prepare an attack on the town of Rafah in southern Gaza, which borders Egypt. There, millions of internally displaced people seek refuge in a very small space. Israel's plan has drawn international criticism.
From Netanyahu's perspective, the number of hostages remaining in the Gaza Strip justifies Israel's massive military operation in the sealed off area. Asked how many hostages were still alive, Netanyahu replied in an interview with US broadcaster ABC News on Sunday: “I think it's enough to justify the efforts we're making.”
The Israeli military announced last night that it had carried out “a series of attacks on terrorist targets in the Shabura area of the southern Gaza Strip”. Shaburah is near Rafah. Palestinian news agency Wafa reported, citing medical workers in the city, that dozens of people were killed and many wounded in Israeli airstrikes.
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