Israeli forces released dramatic video footage on Monday, showcasing the weekend rescue of four hostages held captive in Gaza.
The video, captured from helmet cameras worn by members of the Yamam and Shin Bet’s special operations unit, alongside accompanying soldiers, reveals the operation that took place in Nuseirat, a refugee camp within the Gaza Strip.
Yamam and Shin Bet operatives executed a coordinated rescue effort at two separate locations, freeing four hostages while engaging in combat with Hamas militants. Noa Argamani, 26, was rescued at one site, while Shlomi Ziv, 41, Andrey Kozlov, 27, and Almog Meir Jan, 22, were recovered from the second location.
Video footage obtained by Digital exhibits Yamam officers and Shin Bet operatives storming the location where three of the four hostages were being held. Ziv, Kozlov, and Jan are subsequently seen boarding a helicopter, en route to their return to Israel.
All four hostages were near the border when Hamas launched its extensive assault into Israel on October 7.
The rescue operation coincided with a substantial Israeli air and ground offensive in central Gaza, which resulted in the deaths of 274 Palestinians, according to health officials. The operation also transpired during a crucial phase of the eight-month conflict, as Israel and Hamas contemplate a U.S.-proposed ceasefire agreement and the release of remaining captives.
Hamas and other militant groups are responsible for the deaths of approximately 1,200 individuals in the October 7 attack, and they have captured around 250 others, encompassing men, women, children, and elderly individuals.
Since then, an estimated 37,000 Palestinians have lost their lives in Israel’s ground offensive in the Gaza Strip, according to figures provided by the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza. It’s important to note that the organization does not differentiate between combatants and civilians.
Israel has challenged these figures, asserting that their military actions are solely directed towards targeting Hamas militants operating within densely populated urban areas.
During a weeklong ceasefire in November, over 100 captives, primarily women and children, were released in exchange for Palestinians held by Israel.
Israeli authorities believe Hamas remains in possession of approximately 120 hostages, with 43 declared dead. Among the survivors are approximately 15 women, two children under the age of 5, and two men in their 80s.