(Nuseirat) This is how the operation to rescue Noa Argamani, Almog Meir Jan, Shlomi Ziv, and Andrei Kozlov was conducted.
Thursday, 6:30 PM: After meticulous
planning, drills, models, and advanced intelligence tracking that lasted for
many weeks, the political echelon approves the operation initially named
"Summer Seeds." The authorization was given in a classified
discussion, under heavy secrecy, waiting for the right moment.
Saturday, 10:00 AM: Two main commando teams
launch from several directions, disguised, towards the Nuseirat refugee camp
near the coast. The forces move in broad daylight covertly towards the two
buildings where the hostages were held, amidst thousands of Palestinians and
hundreds of terrorists from the local Hamas battalion, who do not notice them.
According to the Palestinians, the forces entered using a humanitarian aid
truck, and Al Jazeera even published footage of it with IDF vehicles,
apparently from moments after the operation. The IDF denied this and also
denied using the American dock later on.
10:45: Special ground observations and
technological tracking means from Air Force aircraft identify that the area is
clear, and there is no suspicious movement in the two buildings, which are 3-4
stories high. In one of them, Noa Argamani was held, and in the other, the
three remaining hostages, along with Gazan families and armed guards.
10:50: The information and live footage of
the alleys, hundreds of meters long, separating the two targets are transmitted
to screens in two command posts overseeing the operation: one of the Shin Bet
in central Israel, attended by the head of the service Ronen Bar and Chief of
Staff Herzi Halevi, and the Southern Command in Be'er Sheva, from where the
Southern Command chief managed the surrounding and rescue forces.
11:00: The two ground teams receive the
"execute" order, personally approved in real-time by the Shin Bet
head and the Chief of Staff. They storm the buildings simultaneously and in
full coordination, at the same second, to prevent the terrorists at the second
target from discovering it, which would endanger the hostages.
11:10: While the elimination of the
terrorists guarding Argamani and her rescue goes relatively smoothly, the
operation at the second building is much more complicated. Commander Zamora’s
team reports being hit in the exchange of fire. The fighters who eliminated the
terrorists at that target treat their commander and try to save him while
exiting the building under increasing fire.
11:15: Over the radio, the awaited
announcement is reported: "The diamonds are in our hands," meaning
the hostages are with us.
11:20: Under the cover of delay, dozens of
terrorists accumulate around the building where the three hostages were held,
and hundreds more armed with RPG launchers, PK machine guns, and Kalashnikov
rifles approach from all sides. They run through the narrow alleys and the
nearby market, crowded with thousands of Gazans.
11:22: The forces attempt to escape in the
rescue vehicle, but it is hit by heavy fire and starts to falter. Southern
Command chief Yaron Finkelman activates the pre-prepared rescue plan.
11:25: Air Force fighter jets and
helicopters launch dozens of munitions towards the terrorists to isolate the
scene. Hundreds of soldiers from Brigades 7, Paratroopers, Givati, and Kfir,
who were positioned as reinforcements, are rushed in on foot, tanks, and Namer
APCs into the refugee camp, with Navy ships providing cover from the west.
11:30: The reinforcement forces and the Air
Force manage to isolate the main battle zone, providing a safe escape route for
the main force with the three hostages. The Southern Command authorizes, in a
rare move, the Air Force Sikorsky helicopters to land deep inside the Gaza
Strip, under cover fire from fighter jets. The aerial fire hits the terrorists,
dozens of meters from the soldiers.
11:50: The last of the special forces board
the helicopters that take off for hospitals in Israel. Resuscitation attempts
for Commander Zamora continue in the air, but at the hospital, they are forced
to pronounce his death. The reinforcement forces from IDF brigades continue to
engage the terrorists around the operation area, eliminating dozens more until
the operation concludes.
 |
Chief Inspector Arnon Zmora, who was killed
in a mission to rescue hostages held in the Gaza Strip, June 8, 2024. |
1:33 PM: The IDF, Shin Bet, and police
officially announce the rescue of the four hostages, and spontaneous
celebrations begin both in Israel and among Israelis abroad.
