Israel At War Motzei Shabbos Bamidbar

 Israel at war day 246

- Four Israeli hostages were rescued alive from Hamas captivity Saturday in a daring daylight operation in the central Gaza Strip, the military announced.

Noa Argamani, 26, Almog Meir Jan, 21, Andrey Kozlov, 27, and Shlomi Ziv, 40, had been abducted from the Supernova music festival near the community of Re’im on the morning of October 7.

Officers of police’s elite Yamam counter-terrorism unit, along with Shin Bet agents, simultaneously raided two Hamas-controlled multi-story buildings in the heart of central Gaza’s Nuseirat, a joint statement said. Argamani was rescued at one site, while Meir Jan, Kozlov, and Ziv were at the second location.

Yamam Chief Inspector Arnon Zamora, who commanded the rescue team at the building where three hostages were being held, was critically wounded by Hamas fire. He was brought to an Israeli hospital, but died shortly after. The Hamas guards were killed in the operation 

The rescued hostages, who had been in Hamas captivity for eight months, were all in good condition, according to initial medical assessments. They were taken by helicopters from the Strip to hospitals in Israel for further evaluation.

Reports of 200 Hamas  terrorists killed during the rescue.

-The vehicle in which three of the abductees were being evacuated broke down during the operation due to a technical fault, while it was still in the heart of Nuseirat.  IDF’s 98th Division fought a fierce battle against the Palestinian terrorists who attacked the rescue vehicle, while the hostages and our fighters were inside.

-US denies Gaza aid pier used in hostage rescue raid, but said to have provided intel

- Father of rescued hostage Almog Meir died earlier tonight and did not get to see his son.