At least 210 Palestinians were killed to free the 4 Israeli hostages

The liberation of Noa Argamani, Shlomi Ziv, Almog Meir Jan and Andrey Kozlov, the four Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip since 7 October 2023, turned out to be a bloodbath for the Gazans of the Nuseirat refugee camp. In fact, in the military operation conducted by the IDF they were at least 210 Palestinians killed, according to what was reported by the Hamas Ministry of Health, which also speaks of 400 injured. Shortly before, Palestinian hospital sources had spoken of at least 94 bodies arriving at the Deir al Balah hospital, along with at least 100 wounded. Dozens and dozens of dead and wounded also reached the Al-Aqsa hospital.

The spokesperson of the Qassam Brigades, known by the nom de guerre Abu Obeida, also declared that the attacks carried out today by the Israeli army in the center of Gaza represent a “war crime” adding that “the first to be damaged were precisely the hostages”, some of whom were killed during the operation.

A witness on CNN: “Children torn to pieces in the streets”

The ground incursion by the Israeli army, conducted with the aim of recovering alive four of the hostages taken to Gaza by Hamas on 7 October, left behind a very long trail of blood: at least 60 people were killed by soldiers’ shots but the greatest number of victims was caused by the very heavy air raids in the overcrowded refugee camp. Interviewed by CNN Nidal Abdo, a Palestinian who was in Nuseirat today, described the bombing as “crazy”: “There are children torn to pieces and scattered on the streets, they swept away Nuseirat, it’s hell on earth”, he said. Another local, Abu Abdallah, reported that the raids were carried out while people were sleeping, adding: “The dogs ate the remains of the people. We took out six martyrs, all children and women torn to pieces, we risked our lives for take them to hospital.”

Borrell: “The bloodbath must end”

The one committed today by Tel Aviv is taking on the contours of a massacre of innocents by the hour. The EU high representative for foreign policy, Josep Borrell, speaks of “another massacre of civilians. We condemn it in the strongest terms. The bloodbath must end immediately. The three-phase US plan is the way forward for a ceasefire lasting fire and to put an end to the killing.”

The President of the Palestinian National Authority Abu Mazen called for an emergency session of the UN Security Council to discuss the repercussions of the bloody massacre carried out by the Israeli occupation forces in the Nuseirat camp, while the Egyptian Foreign Ministry condemned “the Israeli attacks on Nuseirat camp” in central Gaza. Citing the death toll provided by Hamas officials, the statement criticized the operation “in which more than 150 Palestinian civilians were killed”, saying the mission violated international law. The statement calls on the United Nations Security Council “to intervene immediately to stop Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip.”