Health officials in Hamas-controlled Gaza claim 210 killed in IDF hostage rescue op

Hospital officials in Hamas-controlled Gaza are claiming that 210 Palestinians were killed in Israel’s operation that rescued four hostages from Gaza, in unverified figures that don’t differentiate between combatants and civilians.

The Associated Press cites Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital spokesperson Khalil Degran as saying the bodies of 109 Palestinians including 23 children and 11 women were taken to the hospital. He adds that 101 others were taken to Al-Awda Hospital, saying he spoke to the director there.

The IDF has acknowledged that it killed Palestinian civilians amid the fighting today, but placed the blame on Hamas for holding hostages and fighting in a dense civilian environment.

“We know about under 100 [Palestinian] casualties. I don’t know how many of them are terrorists,” IDF Spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said in a briefing with journalists, reported by Reuters.