NYT: the operation to free hostages in Gaza was agreed upon minutes before the start
Photo: NYT video screen
The Israeli military operation to rescue four hostages in the Gaza Strip was one of the most complex and daring undertakings that required careful planning over several weeks, writes The New York Times. It is interesting to note that permission for the operation was received on Saturday morning just a few minutes before the actual action began. Israeli special forces, supported by military, intelligence and air forces, carried out a raid on two buildings located a short distance from each other in the Nuseirat area, in the center of the Gaza Strip.
As a result of the operation, four hostages were freed: Noah Argamani, 26 years old; Almog Meir Jan, 22; Andrey Kozlov, 27 years old; and Shlomi Ziv, 41. It is important to note that all hostages remained alive after the successful completion of the operation. However, one policeman who was part of the liberation detachment died during a clash with militants.
Representatives of the Gaza Ministry of Health have repeatedly stated that dozens of Palestinians, including women and children, are killed in the process of such rescue operations. At the same time, the Israeli military claims that its goal is to attack only the militants who threatened their armed forces during the removal of the hostages. As noted, neither the Israeli military nor Palestinian health officials have ever provided accurate data on the number of civilians and militants killed as a result of the liberation operations.