The Times of Israel is liveblogging Sunday’s events as they happen.
US military: Gaza aid pier was not used in IDF hostage rescue operation
The United States Central Command says that its humanitarian aid pier in Gaza was not used in the Israeli operation that successfully rescued four hostages yesterday morning.
“The humanitarian pier facility, including its equipment, personnel, and assets were not used in the operation to rescue hostages today in Gaza. An area south of the facility was used by the Israelis to safely return the hostages to Israel,” CENTCOM says in a statement on X.
“Any such claim to the contrary is false. The temporary pier on the coast of Gaza was put in place for one purpose only, to help move additional, urgently needed lifesaving assistance into Gaza.”
The statement comes as the US resumed aid deliveries via the temporary pier yesterday, after the structure suffered storm damage and underwent repairs in a nearby port.
“Today at approximately 10:30 am (Gaza time) US Central Command (USCENTCOM) began delivery of humanitarian assistance ashore in Gaza. Today, a total of approximately 492 metric tons (~1.1 million pounds) of much needed humanitarian assistance was delivered to the people of Gaza,” CENTCOM writes in a separate post on X.
The pier was repaired in the Israeli port of Ashdod before being brought back to the Gaza coast and reestablished on Friday.
Humanitarian Aid Flow Resumes in Gaza
Today at approximately 10:30 a.m. (Gaza time) U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) began delivery of humanitarian assistance ashore in Gaza. Today, a total of approximately 492 metric tons (~1.1 million pounds) of much needed humanitarian… pic.twitter.com/NBOzeoAEzL
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) June 8, 2024
Palestinian Islamic Jihad: Gaza rescue operation won’t affect hostage-ceasefire deal
Israel’s military operation that freed four hostages held by Hamas in Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp will not affect the current prisoner-hostage swap deal, according to the deputy chief of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group.
Mohammad Al-Hindi says that conditions for the deal remain the same, in comments to Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa TV.
PIJ is an ally of Hamas in Gaza.
Israeli troops rescued four hostages from Hamas captivity yesterday in a daring daylight operation in the central Gaza Strip.
US President Joe Biden announced last week what he described as an Israeli proposal for a hostage-ceasefire deal. Hamas has not yet formally responded to the proposal, but officials in the terror group have reiterated their insistence that any agreement must guarantee an end to the war, a demand Israel has repeatedly ruled out.
‘Blatant lie’: IDF dismisses Hamas claim that other hostages were killed in today’s rescue
An Israeli army spokesman denies a claim by Hamas spokesman Abu Obaida that some Israeli hostages were killed during the IDF’s rescue operation of four hostages late this morning.
“It’s a blatant lie,” Israeli military spokesperson Peter Lerner told CNN.
Report: US provided intel that helped Israel’s hostage rescue operation
Intelligence provided by the United States helped Israel carry out the successful mission to rescue the four hostages from Gaza, according to The New York Times.
Citing unnamed American and Israeli officials briefed on the matter, the outlet says a team of American officials in Israel helped by “providing intelligence and other logistical support.”
The report says that “Intelligence collection and analysis teams from the US and the UK have been in Israel throughout the war, assisting Israeli intelligence in collecting and analyzing information related to the hostages.”
Relatives of dead hostages chide Netanyahu: ‘When it ends badly, he doesn’t come or call’
Some relatives of hostages who died in Gaza criticize Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for personally meeting the families of today’s rescued hostages, while sufficing with sending a written message when rescue attempts go awry.
Avi Marciano, father of Noa Marciano who was murdered in captivity before her body was returned from Gaza, writes on Facebook: “I’m looking at Yaakov, the father of Noa Argamani, and can’t not be moved. I’m genuinely happy for all the families who got to embrace their loved ones. I’m also jealous.
“This highlights how our ending was bad. When it ends badly, the prime minister doesn’t come. He also doesn’t call.”
Yonatan Shamriz, whose brother Alon was mistakenly killed by IDF troops along with two other hostages, chastises Netanyahu for “taking half a day to get a grip” on October 7, yet rushing today to meet the rescued hostages and their families “within 15 minutes.”
Referring to comments by military officials that today’s rescue mission was a “hair’s breadth” between success and failure, Shamriz claims Netanyahu gambled “50-50” on the hostages’ lives, and that had it failed the families would “only have gotten a letter.”
Police say 33 arrested as Tel Aviv protesters tried to block road; all routes now open
Police say that 33 protesters were arrested during demonstrations in Tel Aviv this evening calling for new elections and the return of the remaining hostages held in captivity in Gaza, hours after the military announced that four hostages were rescued alive from central Gaza’s Nuseirat camp.
The police statement adds that all roads near the protest have now been opened to traffic.
It says that while most demonstrators attended the preapproved rally and then dispersed, some stayed and marched along Begin and Kaplan roads, “while trying to block a traffic route.
“Police forces at the scene dispersed the protesters from the road, while employing riot control methods and arresting disrupters of public order,” the statement added.