Gaza: Death and destruction in hostage rescue operation reveals ‘seismic trauma’ of ongoing war

According to the Gaza Health Ministry, more than 270 people including children and other non-combatants were killed in intense fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas rebels in and around the Nuseirat refugee camp on Saturday, in the middle area of ​​the war-torn area. More than 600 people are said to be injured while hospitals are overloaded.

Emergency relief coordinator Martin Griffiths said in a post on X that the Nuseirat camp “is epicenter of the seismic trauma that people in Gaza continue to endure.”

“Seeing the bodies covered on the ground, we are reminded that Nowhere is safe in Gaza,” he continued.

Dozens of hostages are still being held

The humanitarian affairs chief said that even though the four hostages were reunited with their families in Israel thanks to the military operation, “many people are still detained. All must be released.”

In a tweet on Saturday after news of the hostages’ release, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he had sent messages to relatives of Noa Argamani and Shalomi Ziv – some of the family members he hosted at UN last week – to express relief.

“I reiterate my call for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and an end to this war.”, said the Secretary General.

Mr. Griffiths affirmed that “all civilians must be protected. This collective suffering can and must end now.”

The head of the emergency relief agency added that watching the video of the scene of the shrouded bodies in the Nuseirat camp was a reminder that nowhere is safe in this area, where Israel launched its attack. The attack lasted nine months since the terrorist attack led by Hamas on October 7. .

Palestinian militants took more than 250 hostages in southern Israel that day, slaughtering about 1,200 people. So far, more than 40 hostages are believed to be dead and more than 110 remain.

Health care ‘hanging by a thread’

“Seeing bloodied patients being treated on the hospital floor, we are reminded that health care in Gaza hangs in the balance.”

Video from Al-Aqsa Hospital after the fighting and bombardment showed many casualties lying on the floor while the director of Al-Adwa Hospital in Nuseirat reported that the hospital did not have a morgue to accommodate the bodies of the dead. network.

Negotiations continued on a comprehensive ceasefire and hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas but the US-led proposal put forward on May 31 was not accepted by either side.