Two Israeli hostages by Hamas rescued in Rafah

During a joint operation in Rafah overnight, two Israeli hostages - Fernando Simon Marman (60) and Louis Har (70), who were kidnapped by the Hamas terrorist organization on October 7 from the Nir Itzhak kibbutz, were rescued.

The condition of the injured is satisfactory, and they have been transferred to the Sheba Tel Hashomer Hospital for medical examination.

Photo: Israel Defense Forces (idfanc.activetrail.biz)

Israel-Hamas war

On October 7, 2023, militants from the radical Palestinian Islamic movement Hamas attacked Israel from the territory of the Gaza Strip. During the assault, the terrorists indiscriminately killed and abducted both military personnel and civilians while simultaneously bombarding the country's largest cities with rockets. According to official data, in the first days of the Hamas attacks, 1,200 civilians and soldiers were killed, and around 250 individuals were abducted.

At the end of October, the Israel Defense Forces initiated a ground military operation in the Gaza Strip, which continues to this day. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the objective of the operation was the destruction of Hamas's operational and governmental capabilities, as well as the liberation of hostages.

On February 1, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar announced that Hamas had provided its preliminary consent to a ceasefire and an agreement regarding the release of hostages. U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer discussed the agreement, which would facilitate the release of 136 hostages.

However, Netanyahu recently rejected Hamas's ceasefire proposal for the return of hostages, emphasizing that the IDF's total victory in the Gaza Strip is imminent. He also declared the readiness of the IDF to initiate a ground invasion into the city of Rafah.

Egypt has threatened to suspend a key peace treaty with Israel if the country's army enters this border town.