2024 Rafah hostage raid
This page is subject to the extended confirmed restriction related to the Arab-Israeli conflict.The 2024 Rafah hostage raid, dubbed Operation Golden Hand (Hebrew: מבצע יד זהב) by the IDF, was a military raid and hostage rescue operation conducted in cooperation with the Shin Bet and Yamam (Israel's National Counter-Terror Unit, part of the Israeli Police) to recover two Israeli civilians kidnapped during the Nir Yitzhak attack on 7 October 2023.[8][12] The Gaza Health Ministry initially stated at least 67 Palestinian civilians, including women and children, were killed during the Israeli operation, with the number increasing to at least 94 shortly after.[23] The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Khan has stated that the reports coming from Rafah were cause for deep concern and seemed to be ignoring laws of armed conflict.[27][28] Jewish Voice for Peace stated: "The Israeli military is bombing Rafah, the most densely populated area in the world, while Americans watch the Super Bowl.[30] American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee stated that the attacks on Rafah were planned to coincide with the Super Bowl as Israel knew the American public would not be paying attention on other news on that day."[31] Harvard University students participated in a "die-in" at Widener Library to protest against the airstrikes, which was publicized online by the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, and other groups.