Praised as a significant achievement in Israel, the deadly ambush transformed into a massacre of nearly 300 displaced individuals trying to survive.

Suddenly, they found themselves “falling into chaos”, Al Jazeera’s Maram Humaid wrote on June 8.

The Israeli assault on the Nuseirat refugee camp aimed to release four Israeli captives held there but reportedly also killed three others, including one US citizen, as per the Qassam Brigades.

This was in addition to the at least 274 Palestinians who were killed.

What ensued in Nuseirat? How did Israel kill so many individuals? Here's a detailed look at the incident:

What happened?

The assault's primary objective was to free four captives seized on October 7: Noa Argamani, 25, Almog Meir Jan, 21, Andrey Kozlov, 27, and Shlomi Ziv, 40.

It kicked off at around 11am with several civilian trucks and cars entering a neighborhood near the camp’s market, according to witnesses.

One truck was packed with furniture to simulate the relocation of displaced people, while another bore commercial markings. The convoy also included seemingly civilian vehicles.

The Israeli forces began aerial bombardment, targeting the bustling market area to incite maximum fear and casualties.

By 11:35am, reports began spreading on Telegram about bombings in the camp.

At one point, the convoy split into two groups, each heading towards locations holding Israeli captives.

The three male captives were at one site where a witness account described how soldiers reached the house.

Heavily armed soldiers emerged from the vehicles and dashed through makeshift tents of displaced people.

The witness described everyone cowering inside their flimsy shelters, with nothing but fabric separating them from the armed soldiers.

The soldiers reached a garden wall, breached it to approach a quiet apartment building from behind.

It remains unconfirmed if this was the sole access point to the building, which is bounded by a garden on at least two sides and likely faces a road.

Noa Argamani was held in another spot, in a building facing a narrow, tree-lined street.

A truck arrived, accompanied by shooting soldiers who killed one person at the building's entrance. Al Jazeera footage indicated no weapons near the individual who was shot.

A ladder was extended from the truck for soldiers to climb into the apartment via its balcony.

Reports gathered by Al Jazeera indicate Israeli soldiers shot people indiscriminately, both inside buildings and on streets.

To support the ground operation, the Israeli army reportedly deployed armored vehicles from the other side of Salah al-Din Road at the border of Nuseirat and Bureij refugee camps.

During the raid, more Israeli soldiers arrived by helicopter on Gaza’s shore, near the US-built pier.

Analysis suggests these soldiers were backups, and to assist in evacuating the captives.

After rescuing the four individuals, the convoy left the camp towards the sea, taking the Nuseirat road.

The four were loaded onto the military helicopter and airlifted, leaving the people of Nuseirat to comprehend the aftermath.

What did the people in Nuseirat do when this horror was over?

The wounded were taken to Shuhada al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir Balah, quickly overwhelming its staff and facilities.

A viral video on social media shows medics surrounded by countless wounded individuals lying on the floor in agony.

The footage shows a medic immobilized due to the sheer number of patients, unsure how to proceed with the limited resources.

*الإصابات تفترش ممرات مستشفى شهداء الأقصى بعد المجزرة التي ارتكبها جيش الاحتلال الإسرائيلي في مخيم النصيرات في ظل تدميره للقطاع الطبي في كل مناطق قطاع غزة* pic.twitter.com/HyFRmlfux2

— Tariq Jaber (@TariqJaber14041) June 8, 2024

Translation: Injured people cover the corridors of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital after the massacre in Nuseirat refugee camp, following the destruction of Gaza's medical sector by the Israeli military.

Within an hour, as the hospital strained to handle the wounded, it received an evacuation order from Israel’s military despite being previously designated as a safe zone.

The operation, celebrated by Israel and its allies, led to the deaths of numerous Palestinians along with several hostages.

The Qassam Brigades posted a video on Sunday on its Telegram channel, showing three unidentified corpses claimed to be those of three captives, including one US citizen, killed by Israel during the raid.

Wait… Israeli soldiers snuck in how?

UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese accused Israeli forces of hiding in an aid truck, calling it “humanitarian camouflage.” Israel has denied the claims.

How many people were killed or wounded?

According to Gaza's Health Ministry, at least 274 people were killed in Saturday’s massacre, including 64 children, and over 700 were injured.

Hamas’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, stated that among those Israel killed were three Israeli captives, one with US citizenship.

Israeli army spokesperson Daniel Hagari claimed “dozens” of Palestinians were killed, stating he “knew of less than 100” casualties, but he “couldn’t say” how many were civilians.

How were so many people killed to rescue just four?

Witnesses described a brutal ambush with indiscriminate shooting and aerial attacks.

Camp resident Anas Alayyan reported that Israeli soldiers conducted mass executions on the streets.

“I went down to the street and found bodies everywhere,” he told Al Jazeera.