In the rescue of the Israeli hostages, minutes made the difference

In the footage, edited to blur the soldiers’ faces and remove gory images, the hostages are then seen leaving the building and climbing through tree-lined terrain as gunfire erupts around them.

“Hamas members shot at them,” said al-Tahrawi, the shop owner.

Other militants joined the fight, according to Admiral Hagari, “running through the streets with RPGs,” an acronym for rocket-propelled grenades. “There was a lot of fire around us,” he said.

As Ms. Argamani was approaching the beach in one vehicle, the other truck used for the rescue broke down, according to Israeli officials, who requested anonymity to discuss a clandestine operation. To provide cover for the stalled truck, officials said, the Air Force began bombing the nearby area, effectively creating a fire shield.

“Suddenly I heard a loud bomb and the sound of some missiles around the mosque,” ​​said Ms. Abu Amr, the woman who had been visiting her uncle. “I don’t remember the exact time, but maybe 11:20”

“Once again, a big, loud missile was heard and gray smoke rose,” Ms. Abu Amr added. “People started screaming.” In the chaos of the bombing, she said, “the children were screaming; the women fell while running.”