The EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Sunday hit out at “appalling” reports that hundreds of civilians died in Gaza during an Israeli hostage-rescue operation, as the death toll in the operation soared.
More than 270 Palestinians were killed in the assault on Saturday as Israel’s military rescued four hostages in central Gaza, according to the Gaza Strip’s Hamas-run health ministry.
“Reports from Gaza of another massacre of civilians are appalling. We condemn this in the strongest terms,” Borrell said on X. “The bloodbath must end immediately.”
Hamas kidnapped some 250 hostages during its attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7 last year, around half of whom were released as part of a weeklong cease-fire deal in November, according to reports.
The four hostages freed on Saturday were released after Israel conducted a special daytime operation in a residential area in Nuseirat, central Gaza. All of them are in good medical condition, officials said.
More than 37,000 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict first began in October, Gaza’s health ministry said on Sunday.