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Israel rescues 2 hostages in Rafah under cover of air strikes. Gaza health officials say dozens of Palestinians were killed

  • Air strikes on Rafah were launched to allow hostage extraction, Israeli military says
  • Israel has described southern city as the last remaining Hamas stronghold in Gaza

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Palestinians mourn people killed in Israeli strikes in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. Photo: Reuters

Israel launched a special forces operation that freed two Israeli hostages in Rafah amid air strikes early on Monday, which local health officials said killed and wounded dozens of people in the southern Gaza City.

The health ministry in Gaza said at least 67 Palestinians were killed in the attack.

A joint operation by the Israel Defence Force (IDF), Israel’s domestic Shin Bet security service and the Special Police Unit in Rafah freed Fernando Simon Marman, 60, and Louis Har, 70, the Israeli military said.

An Israeli helicopter that transported the two hostages. Photo: Israel Defence Forces via AP
An Israeli helicopter that transported the two hostages. Photo: Israel Defence Forces via AP

The two men, who were kidnapped by Hamas from Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak on October 7, were in good condition and taken to the Tel Hashomer Medical Complex, the military said.

“It was a very complex operation,” Israeli military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Richard Hecht said. “We’ve been working a long time on this operation. We were waiting for the right conditions.”

The hostages were being held on the second floor of a building that was breached with an explosive charge during the raid, which saw heavy exchanges of gunfire with surrounding buildings, Hecht said.

At the same time, an air strike was carried out to allow the forces to be extracted, he said.

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