On Saturday, June 8, Israeli forces rescued four hostages from a refugee camp in Gaza, amidst intensified military operations following a deadly strike on a UN-run school. The hostages—Noa Argamani, 25, Almog Meir Jan, 21, Andrey Kozlov, 27, and Shlomi Ziv, 40—were kidnapped by the Palestinian militant group Hamas during the October 7 attacks on the Nova music festival. The Israeli military described the rescue as a "complex daytime operation" in Nuseirat, stating that the hostages were in good medical condition.
Prior to the announcement of the rescue, Israeli forces reported targeting "terrorist infrastructure" in the Nuseirat camp. According to a Gaza hospital, heavy Israeli strikes in the central areas, including Nuseirat, resulted in at least 15 fatalities on Saturday. Hamas reported "dozens of bodies of martyrs and wounded" in the camp, accusing Israel of "brutal and savage aggression."
This assault on Nuseirat occurred despite increased scrutiny over a recent strike on a UN-run school in the camp, which a Gaza hospital reported had killed 37 people. The Israeli military confirmed the strike, stating it had targeted and killed 17 terrorists. However, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which operated the school, condemned the attack, noting the facility housed 6,000 displaced individuals. In a post on X, the agency stated the school-turned-shelter was hit "without prior warning."
Israel maintains that Hamas and its allies in Gaza use civilian infrastructure, including UN-run facilities, for military purposes—a claim that Hamas denies.