They waited for the order to go into action with great excitement, and then, in the crowded streets of the refugee camp, the signal to go was given. In an extraordinary combination of forces operation, four hostages were successfully rescued from Hamas captivity in the Gaza Strip. We heard from those who were there about the dramatic moments under fire and the critical cooperation, which led to the long-awaited call in connection – “the kidnapped in our hands”
A senior IDF officer describes the operation to rescue the abductees in Gaza: “It was like a movie, far beyond imagination, something from the worlds of fantasy.
We worked in a surgical and challenging manner, while maneuvering and attacking. We carried out a ruse, which we had to hide from some of the commanders and the fighters. It was a complex event mixed with tricks. We made sniper ambushes, eliminated an enemy, used fire to deceive and acted in a different way from the usual action. We set up several sniper ambushes, patrolled, trained roads so that vehicles could pass through them. We eliminated an enemy in a qualitative way. We opened fire several times in different places to create deception and other actions that cannot be expanded on. We did everything the special force asked us to do.”
“When you know that what you’re doing can free hostages – it’s indescribable. It’s crazy.”
IDF officers describe the operation:
“It was exciting and nerve-wracking, and it’s a heavy responsibility. Combining the arms of the infantry forces and Israel’s special forces and the intelligence unit, they manage it shoulder to shoulder in the field, and it’s like a movie. Far beyond imagination. It’s in the worlds of fantasy, a ‘Fauda’ style rescue , much more than that.”
In broad daylight, in the crowded streets in the heart of the Gaza Strip and from two different detection centers – the special forces of the Israel Defense Forces, embarked on a daring rescue operation that ended with Noa Argamani, Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov and Shlomi Ziv, who were kidnapped by Hamas from the ‘Hanuva’ party in -October 7, returned home.
But how do you even prepare for an operation of this magnitude? After all, this is a complex operation – the four were found in a civilian and populated neighborhood, in civilian houses in the most crowded refugee camp in the world, with armed men guarding them at all times?
In order to assemble such a large puzzle of critical details to complete the objective, intensive intelligence gathering over time and preliminary preparations of the forces are required. Due to the sensitivity and security of the information, some practiced special tasks – without knowing what their purpose was.
“Keeping it a secret was one of the most difficult things,” begins the commander of the Givat patrol, Lt. Col. Ziv, “The fighters know they must be alert, sharp and precise – but they don’t know why exactly we are preparing.”
“Everything was planned in advance, but only on Saturday morning were we exposed to partial details of what was going to happen,” adds an officer in a paratrooper patrol, “everyone knew what was needed to carry out the mission, and nothing more – to protect the fighters already inside.”
The forces prepared and began to operate even before the operation. “We carried out ambushes, fired to deceive, eliminated terrorists in the area and trained operatives, worked in a surgical manner, worked on the roads around the refugee camp and in the nearby city of Deir al-Balah, so that vehicles could pass easily at the moment of truth.”
In the last moments before going into action, we examined in real time whether it was possible to carry out the plan and return the abductees alive. Only when the conclusion was positive, the order was given to set off on Saturday -11 am, and the fighters raided 2 different buildings at the same time.
In one of them Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov and Shlomi Ziv were held together, and about 200 meters from them in the second building, Noa Argamani was alone. Around them – armed terrorists.
We split the unit into three. Together with the paratrooper patrol, we divided the tasks, and ran forward to help enable the rescue, and help the IMM. This means isolating and removing the threat to them, facing terrorists in a different terrain than we are familiar with.”
Everything happened under cover of fire from the Air Force, the Southern Command, and naval assistance from the Navy. “We got there very quickly, and realized that there was one incident that went smoothly, and another that was more complex. The special forces rescued Noa Argamani, we met her under fire – and sent her to a more secure point.” Indeed, she was directed to the owl helicopter in a short time, where she took off back to the territory of the country.
The second location, where Almog, Andrei and Shlomi were held, was more complicated. After tense and dramatic moments, the three were also rescued and boarded a helicopter, and in the report the message they wished for throughout the operation: “The diamonds are in our hands.” But during the battles, the commander of the IMM team who was at the head of the force, the late Commander Arnon Zamora, was wounded by the terrorists’ fire and killed afterwards.
“For 8 months the fighters have been working very hard,” describes the commander of the Givat patrol, “we are determined to leave no stone unturned, wherever necessary, to bring our people home. It is a huge privilege to participate in such an operation, and yesterday it was a ‘breath of air’ to continue on and on. No I remember such a crazy feeling in the last 8 months, it was something else, the adrenaline still hasn’t subsided.”
“Each of the fighters does the task with unimaginable courage,” he continues, “Evil is a word that dwarfs my feeling. There is someone to trust – and that fills me with pride every time.”
“When you realize that you are a part of it, the feeling is powerful and meaningful. A soldier of mine told me that the first time he cried since the beginning of the war – was when he saw Noa Argamani,” describes the MP, “in these moments – we all act in cooperation. You hear the tanks, the planes in the sky and the aid from the sea, and feel a tailwind. Both from them – and from the entire nation of Israel.”
