Israeli Covert Op Rescues 70 Orphans from Gaza, Delivering Them to Safety in Bethlehem

The Israeli Defense Forces aided an international non-profit organization in evacuating nearly 70 orphans from Gaza and transferred them to safety in Bethlehem in the Biblical region of Judea and Samaria, also known as the West Bank. 

The IDF carried out the unusual operation Monday with the approval of the National Security Council and conducted it in coordination with the Civil Administration. 

According to several reports the children, along with 11 staff members and their families from the charity group SOS Children's Villages International, were evacuated from Rafah and transferred to Bethlehem. 

The children are between the ages of 2 and 14 and were already in the care of the organization before the start of the war. However, they did receive permission from legal guardians to be relocated, the SOS said in a statement.

"The successful evacuation gives a glimmer of hope," says Angela Maria Rosales, Chief Programme Officer at SOS Children's Villages International.

The group passed through Israeli territory to reach Bethlehem, which is under the control of the Palestinian Authority.

All Israel News reports the operation was completed at the request of the German embassy and without the knowledge of Israel's war cabinet or the terror organization, Hamas. 

The rescue operation has stirred up ire among certain Israeli officials.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich both expressed disapproval because the operation only saved Palestinian lives while more than 100 Israeli hostages remain in captivity after 5 months. 

As CBN News reported, 1,200 people were brutally killed in the Oct. 7 attack, according to Israeli officials, while another 240 were taken hostage by Hamas.

Hamas, which controls Gaza, remains unwilling to provide Israel with the names and number of hostages who are still alive in captivity.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he will press ahead with an invasion of the city of Rafah, the last stronghold of Hamas.

He added Israel will give Rafah's civilians plenty of time to get out of harm's way.

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