Hostage Rescue Gone Awry: Hamas Repels Israeli Special Forces in Gaza, Hostage Soldier Killed

Gaza: Hamas on Friday claimed to have successfully thwarted an Israeli special forces rescue mission in the Gaza Strip. The incident reportedly resulted in casualties among the Israeli military, and a hostage, identified as Sa’ar Baruch, 25, lost his life during the operation.

Israel has refrained from commenting on the matter, accusing Hamas of engaging in psychological warfare. The Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s military wing, disclosed on Telegram that its fighters intercepted the rescue attempt, engaging and causing harm to the special forces unit. The specific location of the incident was not disclosed in the statement.

Sa’ar Baruch was named as one of the hostages taken during a cross-border Hamas killing and kidnapping spree on October 7, which triggered the ongoing conflict. Out of the 240 people initially taken hostage, 137 remain in captivity in Gaza, with some declared dead in absentia by Israeli authorities.

The Israeli government, holding Hamas responsible, reiterated its demand for the Red Cross to visit the hostages, a request that has yet to be fulfilled. Israeli spokesperson Eylon Levy dismissed the Hamas account as part of ongoing psychological warfare against Israel.