Israel says it rescued two people from Rafah
Marman and Har: An Israeli hostage rescue operation in the Rafah area of the Gaza Strip since the beginning of the September 11 terrorist attack
Israeli security forces said early Monday that they had rescued two hostages who were being held in the southern Gazan city of Rafah, in one of the few examples of a successful hostage rescue in Gaza since the start of the war.
According to a statement from the Israeli military, police and Shin Bet, Fernando Simon Marman, 60, and Louis Har, 70, are in good condition after undergoing tests at a hospital in Tel Aviv.
The statement was issued around the same time as Israel claimed to have launched a wave of attacks on Rafah, a populated city at the border with Egypt where more than a million Palestinian refugees are anticipating an Israeli ground invasion.
Mr. Marman and Mr. Har were among more than 240 people captured during the surprise Oct. 7 raid on southern Israel by Hamas and other militant groups, which later prompted Israel to retaliate with massive airstrikes and a ground invasion in Gaza. The two men were captured near the Gaza border, according to the statement. No other details were immediately available.
The hostages who were taken in October were released during a cease-fire last year. Israeli intelligence officers have concluded that at least 30 hostages have died since the beginning of the war, The New York Times reported last week. Before Monday’s operation, Israeli forces had said they rescued at least one hostage.
Hostage families have been lobbying Israel to prioritize negotiations for their release. Last week he publicly rejected the latest proposal from Hamas to allow for some hostages being held by the militant group to be released.
Israeli officials have signaled that their government was still willing to talks, and the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview that his government was working on a plan to evacuate people from Rafah.
The UpFirst Podcast: NATO Leader Criticizes Trump’s Comments. Israel Frees Two Hostages in Rafah Operat
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Source: NATO leader criticizes Trump’s comments. Israel frees two hostages in Rafah operation
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Source: NATO leader criticizes Trump’s comments. Israel frees two hostages in Rafah operation
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