Inside Israel's Complex Operation: Rescuing Hostages from Hamas
Israel meticulously planned the operation to liberate four hostages held by the radical Palestinian group Hamas in the Gaza Strip over several weeks.
Approval for this mission came mere minutes before its commencement, on the morning of the previous day. The intricate operation involved the coordination of special forces, military personnel, intelligence agencies, and aviation units.
According to sources cited by The New York Times (NYT), various scenarios were proposed for the operation, yet they were ultimately rejected due to the heightened risk of casualties for both hostages and military personnel. This decision was influenced by the memory of a previous unsuccessful attempt in December, during which an Israeli special forces operation to free 25-year-old Sahar Baruch resulted in the tragic loss of the hostage and severe injuries to two Israeli officers.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Galant convened with high-ranking military officials on the night of June 6 to greenlight the operation. However, it teetered on the brink of cancellation until the final moments. Daniel Hagari, a spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), disclosed that the operation's approval in the En-Nuseirat refugee camp, the location of the hostages, was confirmed mere minutes before its execution.
In a strategic move, Israeli soldiers opted to execute the operation during daylight hours, aiming to catch Hamas off guard, as per sources cited by NYT. The extraction of Israeli national Noa Argamani, 25, proceeded smoothly, while the liberation of the remaining three hostages, including 27-year-old Russian national Andrei Kozlov, required engagement in a firefight by the special forces. Upon the successful conclusion of the operation, the special forces broadcasted over the radio, "The diamonds are in our possession," before airlifting the hostages to safety in Israel.
Hamas alleges that the Israeli army's raid on June 8 resulted in the deaths of over 200 individuals, predominantly civilians. However, this claim remains unverified by independent sources. Palestinian National Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas has urgently called for a meeting of the UN Security Council to address what he describes as the "bloody massacre in En-Nuseirat."
Since Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel, Israeli forces have managed to rescue only seven hostages. As of the latest information available, approximately 120 Israeli prisoners remain in the Gaza Strip, their fates uncertain.
The conflict in the Middle East escalated following Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel. The radical Islamist movement, recognized as a terrorist organization by both the European Union and the USA, launched a massive rocket assault on Israel, infiltrated its territory, and perpetrated the deadliest massacre in the modern history of the Israeli state, claiming the lives of approximately 1,200 individuals.
According to recent reports, militants also seized approximately 250 hostages and transported them to the Gaza Strip. The accuracy of these figures, however, cannot be verified independently.
The Ministry of Health, under Hamas's control, asserts that over 37,000 individuals have lost their lives in the Gaza Strip, with nearly 84,500 others sustaining injuries. These figures remain unconfirmed by impartial sources.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
