Gaza live: Palestinian death toll passes 37,000 after brutal Israeli attack on Nuseirat
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Some of the Israeli captives being held by Hamas were killed by Israeli forces during the most recent attack on al-Nuseirat refugee camp and nearby areas in central Gaza, according to a Hamas spokesman.
Hamas military spokesman Abu Obeida said that during the "horrific massacre" in al-Nuseirat, Israeli forces killed some of the captives that had been held in Hamas custody.
Israel was able to recover four live captives during the attack early Saturday. All four were reported to be in good health.
Israel has yet to respond to the public allegation made by Abu Obeida in a statement on his Telegram channel.
Read more: Israeli forces killed captives during Nuseirat 'massacre', alleges Hamas
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas instructed Palestine’s envoy to the UN to call for an emergency session of the Security Council following what he called a "bloody massacre" by Israeli forces in Nuseirat refugee camp in Gaza, which killed at least 200 Palestinians.
A statement released by Palestine’s official news agency Wafa said that President Abbas "is engaged in intensive diplomatic efforts with Arab and international stakeholders to convene an emergency session of the UN Security Council".
"The aim is to address the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people and compel the Israeli occupation to comply with international legitimacy resolutions, including those calling for an immediate ceasefire," the statement said.
President Abbas seeks emergency UNSC session following Nuseirat massacre
— Wafa News Agency - English (@WAFANewsEnglish) June 8, 2024
More: https://t.co/GXhMOR1kvd pic.twitter.com/Gn7AHlCkts
A local journalist for Al Jazeera news agency has alleged that Israeli forces entered Nuseirat refugee camp using humanitarian aid trucks as a guise.
Middle East Eye could not immediately verify the report.
Israeli occupation forces infiltrated the Nuseirat refugee camp today in trucks disguised as humanitarian aid. pic.twitter.com/4jcabCKDHu
— أنس الشريف Anas Al-Sharif (@AnasAlSharif0) June 8, 2024
The spokesperson for the United Nations Stephane Dujarric blasted the decision by Israeli Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan to release a recording of him being formally informed of the decision to include Israel on a "list of shame." pic.twitter.com/LqGkuJVh7h
— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) June 8, 2024
US President Joe Biden has welcomed the return of four Israeli captives rescued alive in Gaza.
Speaking at a press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron, the US president said: "We won't stop working until all the hostages come home and a ceasefire is reached."
Hamas published a statement late on Saturday afternoon following Israel's attack on central Gaza, calling it a "horrific massacre against innocent civilians".
It said that the announcement of the "release of a number of its prisoners" in Gaza, referring to rescued Israeli captives, would not change Israel's "strategic failure in the Gaza Strip" after eight months of "massacres, genocide, siege and starvation".
"Our valiant resistance still maintains the largest number in its possession, and is capable of increasing its yield of prisoners," the statement said.
It also condemned US complicity in Saturday's military operation.
It said: "What was revealed by American and Hebrew media about American participation in the criminal operation that was carried out today proves once again the complicit role of the American administration, its full participation in the war crimes committed in the Gaza Strip, [and] the falsity of its declared positions on the humanitarian situation and its concern for the lives of civilians."
The Palestinian government media office in Gaza has said that the death toll from Israel's attack on central Gaza has risen to 210, with 400 more wounded.
Israeli police announced on Saturday the death of an officer wounded earlier in the day during an operation to rescue four captives in the Gaza Strip.
"The Israel Police and the Border Police announce with great sorrow and grief the death of the late officer Arnon Zmora ... who was mortally wounded in the operation to return the hostages this morning in Gaza," the force said in a statement.
Death toll from Deir al-Balah and Nuseirat refugee camp attacks reaches 150, according to Ministry of Health.
A health worker at Awda Hospital in Nuseirat has described to Middle East Eye what he saw as medics brought in dead and wounded from Israel's attacks on Saturday:
"Bombs were falling down on us and helicopters were hovering over the hospital ...we couldn't move between the hospital's buildings. There were quadcopter drones firing at us from above. People were strewn all over the streets outside the hospital, and we couldn't step out to rescue them," said Mosad Munir.
"Our ambulances could not leave the hospital for nearly 30 minutes. After that, we couldn't bring those killed and wounded into the hospital due to the large number of patients inside. We had to leave some of those killed outside the hospital. Many of the injuries were serious, including amputated limbs.
"Most of those killed and wounded were children. I saw one child who arrived dead with food still in his mouth. He was killed while he was eating. Can you imagine? There were many young girls.
"While moving between hospitals and the scene of the attack, I saw a lot of people on the streets, some wounded and others killed. Some bodies were charred. And there was a lot of destruction left by the Israeli bombing."
Israeli war cabinet minister Benny Gantz has delayed a statement he was due to give later on Saturday, according to Haaretz.
In the statement, he was widely expected to announce his resignation from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's war-time government.
A spokesperson for Gantz told Haaretz that following the news that Israeli forces had rescued four captives held in Gaza, the statement was postponed.
The Israeli military said it had rescued four captives from central Gaza in a "complex daytime operation" in Nuseirat refugee camp and taken them to hospital in good condition.
Those rescued were named as Noa Argamani, Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov and Shlomi Ziv.
The four, who were reportedly in good health, were taken to Tel Hashomer hospital for further evaluation.
All four were captured by Hamas on 7 October from the Supernova music festival. Pictures on Saturday appeared to show Argamani hugging her father after being released.
Read more: Israel rescues four captives from Gaza in special operation
The death toll from the Israeli attack on Nuseirat refugee camp has risen to 110, Middle East Eye correspondent Mohammed al-Hajjar, reporting from central Gaza, has said.
Ambulance crews are still transporting more people killed and wounded from across Nuseirat to nearby hospitals.
Ismail Haniyeh, head of Hamas's political bureau, has released a statement following Israel's operation in central Gaza.
"The enemy continues the massacres against our people, children and women ... which are now taking place in Nuseirat and Deir al-Balah," he said.
"The world has labelled the occupation as the killers of children, but it is unable to put an end to the war of extermination to which our people are exposed."
He said that the people of Gaza would "not surrender", and that "the resistance will continue to defend our rights".
"If the occupation believes that it can impose its choices on us by force, then it is delusional," Haniyeh said.
"The movement will not agree to any agreement that does not guarantee safety for our people first and foremost."
He said that Israel had failed "militarily, politically and morally", and called on the international community to take action against Israel's "brutal massacres".
