Two days after Israel’s operation to free four of its citizens from central Gaza, more details are emerging about Saturday’s rescue mission and the hostages’ eight months in captivity.
The Hamas-run Health Ministry reports that at least 274 Palestinians were killed and nearly 700 injured during the assault.
Israeli special forces freed female hostage Noa Argamani using the element of surprise. However, another team, which had freed three male hostages, came under attack, prompting the Israeli military to launch massive airstrikes on crowded nearby streets as covering fire, resulting in scores of Palestinian casualties.
Following weeks of meticulous planning and intelligence gathering, Israel’s war cabinet gave the green light for the operation, dubbed Seeds of Summer, last Thursday evening.
Around 10:00 local time on Saturday morning, in broad daylight, two teams of Israeli special forces, some disguised as Palestinians, crossed into Gaza. They were traveling in at least one truck and in civilian cars.
The streets of the densely populated Nuseirat refugee camp were busy with people shopping in a nearby market.
The targets were two residential apartments a few hundred meters apart.
Eyewitness Isaam Jameel Arouqi told the BBC that some Israeli soldiers emerged from a truck full of furniture. He described two in civilian clothes and around 10 in masks and military uniforms.
“Suddenly, special forces came out of it and started shooting,” he said.
Speaking from the hospital, Mr. Arouqi said he was shot three times in the chest and stomach.
There are reports of a second truck with mattresses on top, from which a second team emerged, possibly using a ladder to access one of the apartments.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that the operation to free 25-year-old Noa Argamani went smoothly as special forces took her captors by surprise and quickly killed the guards.
Israel’s Channel 12 television, which has spoken to Ms. Argamani’s family, reported that she was asked to wash the dishes on the morning of the raid. She suddenly saw the Israeli soldiers with masked faces who said, “Noa, it’s the IDF.”
One soldier asked if he could carry her over his shoulder. Only then did she realize what was happening.
After being transported by car, she was flown out of Gaza by helicopter. Her 246-day ordeal was over.
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