US involved in Israeli operation in Nuseirat that killed over 200 Palestinians

 Four captives released and taken to hospital as Israeli bombs pound central Gaza

A woman walks past posters bearing the portraits of hostages Noa Argamani, Omer Shem Tov and Shani Gabay, who were taken by Hamas militants in the 7 October attack, after a rally in Tel Aviv on 31 October 2023 (Ahmad Gharabli / AFP)

By MEE staff

Published date: 8 June 2024 12:27 BST | Last update: 1 hour 45 mins ago

The Israeli military had US support in rescuing four captives from Gaza in a "complex daytime operation" in Nuseirat that killed over 200 Palestinians.

A US official told Axios that the US cell in Israel had "supported" the effort to rescue the captives.

Later, CNN reported that a US official said the American cell is a team that has been in place supporting Israel since 7 October with information gathering. 

The news agency said that "a source familiar with the matter" said that there were "no US boots on the ground" during the Saturday operation. 

Earlier on Saturday, the army said it had been "targeting terrorist infrastructure in the Nuseirat area", north of the town of Deir al-Balah in the centre of the besieged enclave.

The Palestinian government media office in Gaza said the death toll from Israel's attack on central Gaza had reached at least 210, with 400 more wounded.

The Palestinian health ministry confirmed that a large number of dead and wounded Palestinian had arrived at Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital. It said that most of them were children and women.

"The occupation has annihilated the Nuseirat refugee camp. Innocent and unarmed civilian were bombed in their homes. I've never seen anything like this. It's a catastrophe," local Nidal Abdo told Middle East Eye. 

"I came from the camp to here in the hospital on foot. I can't describe how we fled. I saw dead children and body parts strewn all over as we fled. No one was able to assist them. I saw an elderly man killed on a animal-drawn cart.

"Nuseirat was being annihilated. It was hell."

Hamas released a statement on Saturday condemning US complicity in the operation. 

It said: "American participation in the criminal operation that was carried out today proves once again the complicit role of the American administration, its full participation in the war crimes committed in the Gaza Strip, [and] the falsity of its declared positions on the humanitarian situation and its concern for the lives of civilians."

Hamas said that the announcement of the "release of a number of its prisoners" in Gaza, referring to rescued Israeli captives, would not change Israel's "strategic failure in the Gaza Strip" after eight months of "massacres, genocide, siege and starvation". 

"Our valiant resistance still maintains the largest number in its possession, and is capable of increasing its yield of prisoners," the statement said. 

The four Israeli captives rescued were named as Noa Argamani, Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov and Shlomi Ziv.

The four, who were reportedly in good health, were taken to Tel Hashomer hospital for further evaluation.

All four were captured by Hamas on 7 October from the Supernova music festival.

Pictures on Saturday appeared to show Argamani hugging her father after being released.

"The heroic operation by the [Israeli army] that freed and brought home Noa Argamani, Shlomi Ziv, Andrey Kozlov, and Almog Meir Jan is a miraculous triumph," the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement.

The 7 October attack left 1,171 people dead and saw hundreds of Israelis taken to Gaza; 116 of the 251 taken are believed to be still held in Gaza.

Earlier this week, the Israeli military announced it had verified the deaths of four Israelis held by Hamas, based on newly acquired intelligence.

According to the Israeli daily Haaretz, the Israeli army was checking whether they were killed by the group. All four captives were known to be alive when they entered Gaza.

Chaim Peri, 79, Amiram Cooper, 84, Yoram Metzger, 80, and Nadav Popplewell, 51, were believed to have been together in the Khan Younis area and to have died together several months ago.

In December, Hamas published a video of Peri, Cooper and Metzger alive, and in March Hamas said that the three were killed by Israeli strikes.

The bodies of all four are being held by Hamas, the Israeli army said.

The total number of captives whose death has been confirmed now stands at 43.

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-rescues-four-captives-gaza-special-operation