Israel rescues four hostages in Gaza

The father (C) of Shlomi Ziv, one of the Israeli hostages, arrives at a medical centre after the hostages were moved there, on Saturday. Pic/AFP

Israel said on Saturday it rescued four hostages who were kidnapped in a Hamas-led attack on October 7. The army said it rescued Noa Argamani (25) Almog Meir Jan (21), Andrey Kozlov (27), and Shlomi Ziv (40), in a complex special daytime operation in Nuseirat.

The hostages were rescued in two separate locations in the heart of Nuseirat, it said. Hamas kidnapped some 250 hostages during its attack on southern Israel on October 7. About half were released in a week-long cease-fire in November.

Israel says more than 130 hostages remain, with about a quarter of those believed dead, and divisions are deepening in the country over the best way to bring them home. Saturday's operation is the largest recovery of alive hostages since the war erupted, bringing the total of rescued captives to seven.

Meanwhile, the UN secretary-general will list Israel and Hamas as violating the rights and protection of children in armed conflict in an upcoming annual report to the Security Council. According to the preface of last year's report, lists parties engaged in "the killing and maiming of children" and in attacks on schools, hospitals and protected persons in relation to schools and/or hospitals.

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