The operation lasted an hour and a half, and with the participation of intelligence services, selected departments and the air force, two hostages were released on Sunday, February 11, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. Israelis Fernando Marman, 61, and Louis Har, 70. Israeli media reported that the entire operation was coordinated by a war room of the intelligence services.
Israeli officials underline that soldiers were instructed not to shoot any unarmed person and to avoid any action that could endanger potential hostages. And today the armed forces released video of the operation on X.
Immediately after the raid by special forces, Hamas men opened fire from nearby buildings, while the Israeli air force took action to bomb military areas and Hamas command centers. Hamas forces then tried to regroup to take back the hostages but were unsuccessful.
Israeli forces said, “In addition to the 3 terrorists killed in the apartment building during last night’s action, many terrorists were also neutralized.” Hamas reported 100 people killed.
About an hour after they were removed from the apartment, Marman and Har were escorted out of Rafah in armored vehicles and then onto a helicopter that flew them to Israel. After medical tests, the couple were found to be in good condition and were able to hug their families again. Only one of those who participated in the raid was slightly injured.
Two Israeli hostages, both dual Argentine citizens, were kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Yiyzhak during the violent Hamas attack on October 7; 1,200 people were murdered and 253 people were kidnapped.
The rescue of Marman and Har is only the second successful operation of this kind since the beginning of the war. In October, the Israeli army managed to release soldier Ori Megidish. Another operation failed and resulted in the killing of a hostage. In another dramatic incident, three hostages who managed to save themselves were accidentally killed by Israeli soldiers.
Source: Today IT

Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.