Four hostages have been rescued from central Gaza, according to Israeli authorities.
HOST SCOTT SIMON:
Four Israeli hostages have been rescued from central Gaza since being kidnapped by Hamas-led militants on October 7 last year. It was the largest hostage rescue operation since the war began. Details of the scene are still emerging. Officials at a Gaza hospital told NPR Gaza producers that at least 94 Palestinians have been killed in an Israeli rescue operation that Israel said took place in the heart of a civilian community. We’re joined by NPR’s Kat Lonsdorf in Tel Aviv. Kate, thank you for being with us.
KATE LANSDORF, BYLINE: Hey, Scott. Thanks.
SIMON: Who was rescued and how?
Langsdorff: The four hostages rescued were three men and one woman. Their ages range from 21 to 40 years old. Complex special daytime “surgery.” That was Nuserat in central Gaza.
An Israeli military spokesman said they were “rescued under fire” and were being held in houses in the center of a civilian community. I should also mention here that Nuseirat has been in the news recently. There has been a lot of heavy fighting and Israeli bombing here over the past few days. Days earlier, Israel launched an airstrike on a United Nations school housing thousands of displaced people, killing dozens. The Israeli military said this specific rescue operation was already being planned and had been underway for weeks.
SIMON: What do we know about the hostage situation?
LANSDORF: So they haven’t spoken publicly yet, but Israel says they are in good health and are under observation in an Israeli hospital. An organization representing the hostage families and their supporters has just issued a statement calling the operation “heroic” and a “miraculous victory.” But they also called on the Israeli government to remain committed to bringing back all hostages still held, living or dead.
SIMON: As far as you know, what’s the reaction to this news in Israel so far?
Langsdorff: Yes. Well, I can tell you, Scott, I heard cheers erupting around Tel Aviv when this was announced today. It was so loud that I could hear them as I sat in my apartment with the windows closed. So this is big news. You know, as you said, this is the largest hostage rescue operation since the war began. That’s a big boost to morale, especially after the Israeli military last week announced the deaths of four more hostages.
You know, there’s increasing pressure from the Israeli public to get the hostages back home. There are weekly protests across the country, with the Hostage Families Forum (the organization I just mentioned) meeting with members of the government, creating real pressure. You know, a lot of Israelis think the main focus should be to suspend the war and focus on the hostage release deal. It’s a major part of the three-part plan Biden proposed last week but which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to agree to.
SIMON: We have to ask, does this strengthen the prime minister politically?
Langsdorff: You know, I don’t think we’ve seen how this is going to play out yet. You know, this news has only been public here for a few hours. But, you know, it’s already having an impact politically. Benny Gantz, a member of Netanyahu’s three-person war cabinet and his biggest rival, was scheduled to hold a press conference later tonight, and many expected him to announce his resignation from the government. It was a protest that Netanyahu was not doing enough to free the hostages and end the war. But after the announcement, Gantz postponed the press conference.
So it will be interesting to see if this hostage rescue operation relieves some of the pressure Netanyahu is currently experiencing from the public and within the government. You know, it’s a huge win. We’ll see if there will be big celebrations tonight, or if these protests will continue to demand the return of all the hostages.
SIMON: Thank you very much to NPR’s Kat Lonsdorf in Tel Aviv.
Langsdorff: Thank you.
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