The rescue of the four Israeli hostages, carried out yesterday 8 June by Tel Aviv’s special forces, was “one of the most complicated missions in history” comments the spokesperson of the Israeli army, Admiral Daniel Hagari. It took at least two weeks of planning and preparation for the operation in Nuseirat that led to the release of Noa Argamani, 26 years old, Andrey Kozlov, 27 years old, Almog Meir Jan, 22 years old, Shlomi Ziv, 41 years old. An operation that now bears the name of Arnon Zamora, the soldier in charge of the elite Yaman anti-terrorism unit who was injured and later lost his life.
The preparation
In the preparation phase, the entire area around the Nuseirat refugee camp was rebuilt into a military base, as La Stampa explains. Thus the special forces were able to train to deal with any unexpected events. In recent days, the Israeli Air Force and intelligence services have monitored the possible movements of the Hamas guerrillas hiding the hostages. Limit ground activities and preventive maneuvers to a minimum.
In Nuseirat camp aboard civilian vans
At 10 am, Italian time, on Saturday 8 June, the operation begins. Israeli tanks raided under the cover of Apache helicopters. Meanwhile, the Yaman soldiers infiltrate the area on board civilian vehicles, including an apparently anonymous van, like the one used for removals. Two teams aim for two different areas of the Nuseirat pitch. According to CNN, there was also a US team providing logistical and intelligence support.
The finding of the hostages
Once they arrive at the pre-established points, a firefight starts which the IDF itself confirms. Zamora was injured and died shortly thereafter. According to the Israeli army spokesperson, Hamas is preventing the four hostages from being reached without avoiding areas inhabited by civilians. The Israeli military reaches the prisoners, held in apartments in multi-storey buildings. As Corriere della Sera explains, the three men are in two separate houses. Noa Argamani is in another building about 200 meters away.
The firefight and the escape
Once the hostages were taken over and placed in vans, the escape from the Gaza Strip began. But something unexpected happens: the vehicle in which the three freed men are on board stops. Already under attack by Hamas militiamen, the IDF opens fire to protect the vehicle and in support of Yaman’s soldiers. It is at that moment that the highest number of victims among Palestinians is probably recorded. According to Hamas, at least 200 civilians died in the operation. The escape of the vans succeeds. The four hostages are taken to a more sheltered area and loaded onto a helicopter, headed to the Sheba’ Tel-HaShomer Medical Center in Tel Aviv.
