Israel frees two Israeli hostages from Rafah, 37 people killed in air strike in southern Gaza city
Israel launched a special forces operation in Rafah early Monday, freeing two Israeli hostages amid ongoing air strikes. The Hamas-ruled territory’s health ministry said air strikes in southern Gaza city killed 52 people and injured dozens, AFP reported.
The Israeli military said a collaborative effort by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Israel’s domestic Shin Bet security service and the special police unit in Rafah successfully freed Fernando Simon Marmon, 60, and Lewis Hare, 70.
According to the report, the army said that two men abducted by Hamas from Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak on October 7 were in good condition and had been taken to Tel Hashomer Medical Complex.
“It was a very complex operation,” Israeli military spokesman Lt. Col. Richard Hecht told Reuters. “We have been working on this operation for a long time. We were waiting for the right conditions.”
During the raid, hostages held on the second floor of a building were freed after breaching the structure with explosives. The operation involved intense gunfire with surrounding buildings, Hecht said. At the same time, he said, air strikes were carried out to allow the withdrawal of forces.
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Later, the Israeli military announced that the “series of attacks” on southern Gaza had ended, without giving further details.
Air strikes in Rafah cause widespread panic
Heavy airstrikes on the densely populated town of Rafah in southern Gaza began on Sunday night while many people were sleeping, resulting in widespread panic. Some also feared that Israel had launched its own ground offensive in Rafah. Israeli aircraft, tanks and ships took part in the attacks.
According to the Hamas government, the attacks hit 14 houses and three mosques in different parts of Rafah, AFP reported.
Prior to previous attacks on Gaza cities, Israel’s military has instructed civilians to evacuate without implementing any specific evacuation plan.
US President Joe Biden on Sunday cautioned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against launching a military operation in Rafah without a credible plan to protect the nearly 1 million people sheltering there, according to the White House.
Aid agencies have warned that an attack on Rafah would be devastating, as it is the last remaining relatively safe haven in an enclave that has been devastated by Israel’s military offensive.