Israel-Gaza war: ‘Horror movie’ scenes as 210 Palestinians killed during Israeli rescue mission, Hamas claims
More than 200 Palestinians were killed as Israel raided Gaza to free four hostages, Hamas claims, in one of the bloodiest days of the war.
During the mission, hailed as “heroic” in Israel, the military said it freed the hostages under heavy fire and responded with strikes “from the air and from the street”.
But the ensuing attack on central Gaza’s al Nuseirat, a historic Palestinian refugee camp, led to scenes like a “horror movie”, according to residents.
While Israel acknowledged “under 100” Palestinian casualties, Hamas said at least 210 have been killed and more wounded – though it isn’t clear how many were militants.
Gazan paramedics and residents said the assault killed scores of people and left mangled bodies of men, women and children around a marketplace and a mosque.
The aftermath of an Israeli strike. Pic: Reuters
“It was like a horror movie but this was a real massacre,” said Ziad, 45, a paramedic and resident of Nuseirat, who gave only his first name.
“Israeli drones and warplanes fired all night randomly at people’s houses and at people who tried to flee the area.”
“To free four people, Israel killed dozens of innocent civilians,” he added.
Emergency services tried to ferry the dead and wounded to a hospital in nearby Deir al Balah, but many bodies were still lying in the streets, Ziad and other residents said.
An injured child looks on at al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. Pic: Reuters
A man carries a casualty after an Israeli strike. Pic: Reuters
The EU’s high representative for foreign policy, Josep Borrell, said the reports of “another massacre” are “appalling”.
“We condemn this in the strongest terms,” he added. “The bloodbath must end immediately.”
Israeli minister Eli Cohen hit back, accusing Mr Borrell of condemning the rescue when he should be criticising Hamas for “hiding the hostages” behind civilians.
Israel named the rescued hostages as Noa Argamani, 26, Almog Meir Jan, 22, Andrey Kozlov, 27, and Shlomi Ziv, 41, whom the military said are in good health.
Rescued hostage Almog Meir Jan embraces loved ones. Pic: Reuters
They were all kidnapped from the Nova music festival during the deadly raid by Hamas-led Palestinian militants on Israeli towns and villages near Gaza on 7 October.
About 250 hostages were taken back to Gaza during that attack, with Israeli authorities believing 116 hostages remain.
Hostage release ‘less likely’
Sky News international affairs editor Dominic Waghorn said Saturday’s rescue operation may reduce the chances of others being released through negotiations.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under pressure to make a ceasefire deal happen, but talks have so far stalled.
A mourner at the funeral of Palestinians killed. Pic: Reuters
That pressure would have increased had his war cabinet partner and political rival Benny Gantz resigned over the lack of future strategy for Gaza, as he had threatened.
He’s decided for now to postpone that move.
US President Joe Biden last week said he had every reason to believe the Israeli prime minister is prolonging the war to save his political skin.
Read more:
Who are the four hostages rescued by Israel?
Daylight operation suggests IDF had to be quick
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
IDF defends actions in rescue operation
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
“Israel believes that military pressure is the best way of breaking their enemy. And Netanyahu’s far right coalition partners oppose such a deal,” Waghorn said.
“They want the campaign to continue until Hamas is completely destroyed, and many among them also fantasise about the resettlement of Gaza by Israel.
“A ceasefire deal could see Netanyahu’s governing coalition fall apart. He has wanted to avoid that at all costs.
“Now that military efforts to rescue the hostages appear to be paying off, he may have less reason to pursue the diplomatic alternative.”
Donald Trump has threatened Russia with more sanctions after a series of deadly strikes across Ukraine, as he said of Vladimir Putin: “What the hell happened to him?”
The US president appeared aghast at the conduct of his counterpart in the Kremlin after drone and missile attacks in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities left 12 people dead and dozens more injured.
Trump criticises Putin – latest updates
Speaking to reporters at an airport in New Jersey ahead of a flight back to Washington, Mr Trump said: “I’m not happy with Putin. I don’t know what’s wrong with him.”
“He’s killing a lot of people,” he added. “I’m not happy about that.”
Mr Trump – who said he’s “always gotten along with” Mr Putin – told reporters he would consider more sanctions against Moscow.
“He’s sending rockets into cities and killing people, and I don’t like it at all,” he said.
Ukraine said the barrage of strikes overnight into Sunday was the biggest aerial attack of the war so far, with 367 drones and missiles fired by Russian forces.
It came despite Mr Trump repeatedly talking up the chances of a peace agreement. He even spoke to Mr Putin on the phone for two hours last week.
Read more from Sky News:
Trump says will postpone 50% tariffs on EU until July
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Hundreds of drones fired at Ukraine
‘Shameful’ attacks
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Ukraine is ready to sign a ceasefire deal, and suggested Russia isn’t serious about signing one.
In a statement after the latest attacks on his country, he urged the US and other national leaders to increase the pressure on Mr Putin, saying silence “only encourages” him.
Mr Trump’s envoy for the country, Keith Kellogg, later demanded a ceasefire, describing the Russian attacks as “shameful”.
Three children were among those killed in the attacks, explosions shaking the cities of Kyiv, Odesa, and Mykolaiv.
Ukrainian siblings Tamara, 12, Stanislav, eight, and Roman, 17, were killed in Russian airstrikes. Pic: X/@Mariana_Betsa
Before the onslaught, Russia said it had faced a Ukrainian drone attack on Sunday. It said around 100 were intercepted and destroyed near Moscow and in central and southern regions.
The violence has escalated despite Russia and Ukraine completing the exchange of 1,000 prisoners each over the past three days.
Donald Trump says he will delay the imposition of 50% tariffs on goods entering the United States from the European Union until July, as the two sides attempt to negotiate a trade deal.
It comes after the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said in a post on social media site X that she had spoken to Mr Trump and expressed that they needed until 9 July to “reach a good deal”.
The US president had last Friday threatened to bring in the 50% tariffs from 1 June, as European leaders said they were ready to respond with their own measures.
But Mr Trump has now said that date has been put back to 9 July to allow more time for negotiations with the 27-member bloc, with the phone call appearing to smooth over tensions for now at least.
Speaking on Sunday before boarding Air Force One for Washington DC, Mr Trump told reporters that he had spoken to Ms Von der Leyen and she “wants to get down to serious negotiations” and she vowed to “rapidly get together and see if we can work something out”.
The US president, in comments on his Truth Social platform, had reignited fears last Friday of a trade war between the two powers when he said talks were “going nowhere” and the bloc was “very difficult to deal with”.
Mr Trump told the media in Morristown, New Jersey, on Sunday that Ms Von der Leyen “just called me… and she asked for an extension in the June 1st date. And she said she wants to get down to serious negotiation”.
“We had a very nice call and I agreed to move it. I believe July 9th would be the date. That was the date she requested. She said we will rapidly get together and see if we can work something out,” the US president added.
Listen to The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim every Wednesday
Shortly after, he wrote on Truth Social: “I agreed to the extension – July 9, 2025 – It was my privilege to do so.”
On his so-called “liberation day” last month, Mr Trump unleashed tariffs on many of America’s trade partners. But since then he’s backed down in a spiralling tit-for-tat tariff face-off with China, and struck a deal with the UK.
Read more from Sky News:
Gail’s backer plots rare move with bid for steak chain Flat Iron
AA owners line up banks to steer path towards £4.5bn exit
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
12 May: US and China reach agreement on tariffs
Much of his most incendiary rhetoric on trade has been directed at Brussels, though, even going as far as to claim the EU was created to rip the US off.
Responding to his 50% tariff threat, EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic said: “EU-US trade is unmatched and must be guided by mutual respect, not threats.
“We stand ready to defend our interests.”
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business3 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway