Details Emerge About Intelligence Efforts Leading to Hostage Rescue

A report detailed in The Jewish Chronicle revealed new details about the intelligence efforts leading up to Israel’s daring rescue of four hostages recently.

According to the report, Israel was made aware of the general location of the four hostages inside the Nuseirat camp in Gaza on May 12th, through intelligence. This promoted Israel to begin an all hands on deck intelligence effort to find the exact location of the hostages, and other crucial details necessary for any rescue mission. These efforts included teams of ‘Mista’arvim’ units – undercover agents dressed as local Arabs, who blend into the population to gather intelligence. The units spoke with local Gazans on the ground to try and gather information.

Intelligence gathered by the ‘Mista’arvim’ units along with arial surveillance and other technological means gave Israel an accurate picture of the hostage’s location and other important details, after 19 days. In early June, the information was presented to the War cabinet along with the heads of the IDF and Shin Bet, to come up with a rescue plan.

To gather and verify more information for a rescue mission, another team of undercover agents was sent into Nuseirat, including several women. The team arrived in town pretending to be displaced Gazans from Rafah, and asked to rent the exact house that Noa Aragamni was being held hostage. In exchange for a large sum, locals helped the undercover team rent a large house down the block.

The undercover team proceeded to gather intelligence while blending into the community – they went shopping in the market, took walks down the street, and sent the intelligence they gathered back.

Meanwhile, 28 Yamam fighters began training on two replicas of the two buildings where the hostages were held. After three days, IDF Chief of Staff, Herzi Halevi was informed that Yamam was ready to proceed. Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu was informed and gave his approval for the operation.

Most of the undercover team left the area, leaving just 4 operatives behind to ensure the hostages were not moved to another location.

On the morning of the operation, the 28 Yamam fighters made their way in two trucks to the two locations of the hostages, arriving outside before 11am. After further surveillance, the teams were given the go-ahead, and simultaneously began the operation.

At the location where Argamani was held, the Yamam fighters eliminated the terrorists holding her hostage, and took her safely out of the apartment in under six minutes. She was brought to a helicopter and flown back to Israel.

However at the second apartment, a heavy firefight broke out. Unbeknown ahead of time, some 30 terrorists were inside the apartment, and opened up large volumes of gunfire and RPG fire at the Yamam team. It is now assumed the additional terrorists arrived either the night before or the morning of the operation. Meanwhile, a few members of the team had used a ladder to climb up to a third floor room where the hostages had been held. At one point the Yamam fighters hid the hostages in a bathroom while the other fighters continued the firefight in another part of the house.

In a long battle at short range inside the apartment, the operatives managed to eliminate all the terrorists inside the apartment. However during the firefight, Arnon Zamora was severely injured. At one point he lay on the floor bleeding, while three medics and a doctor attempted to save his life, as the battle ensued.

Upon hearing the gunfire, large numbers of terrorists emerged from tunnels nearby. The team evacuated the hostages and Zamora on a stretcher from the building, while under fire. However their escape vehicle was hit by two RPG missiles.

At this point, plan B was activated. With cover from the Israeli Air Force, Israeli Navy and tanks, soldiers from the Paratroopers, Golani and Givati infantry brigades charged into the area on foot. With the reinforcements and the air power, the battle space was isolated and an escape path was opened for the hostages, who were brought to helicopters and flown back to Israel.

Hamas has claimed that the battle killed 274 Palestinians, including women and children. However Israel believes that 104 Gazans were killed or injured – and all of whom were terrorists or armed civilians who worked with Hamas.

After the battle the Israeli Air Force bombed and destroyed the two buildings where the hostages were held. Tragically, Arnon Zamora was pronounced dead after arriving at the hospital.

{Matzav.com}