New Details From Rescue Operation: Yamam Faced 30 Terrorists In Hostages Apt. But Still Saved Them

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — A Jewish Chronicle investigation has revealed new details of the dramatic rescue operation last Saturday. The operation was based on intelligence received three weeks previously about the possible location of the hostages.

Based on the information, a group of undercover operatives were sent in, masquerading as refugees from Rafah looking for a place to live. Gathering intelligence from the locale as well as from aerial photographs and other means, the IDF verified that the hostages were being held in two separate buildings – Noa Argamani on the first floor and the others 800 meters away on the third floor.

At the beginning of June, top-secret preparations began for a rescue effort.  Undercover operatives, who spoke perfect Gazan Arabic, were sent in to verify the locations, while acting as normal locals at the market. They had managed to rent a house near the location of Noa Argamani, and some stayed there to monitor her building.

Twenty-eight fighters from the ‘Yamam’, a commando unit that specialises in fighting terrorists and rescuing hostages, began training on two specially built models that replicated the two buildings where the hostages were held. After three days of training, the commander of the force informed the IDF Chief of Staff, Herzi Halevi, who then informed the Minister of Defence, Yoav Gallant, that they were ready to carry out the operation. After Prime Minister Netanyahu had been informed and given permission to launch the operation, it was able to proceed.

On Thursday night, 6 June, the undercovers were ordered to leave the area of Nuseirat refugee camp without arousing suspicion, although four remained to keep an eye on the buildings to make sure that the hostages were not transferred to another location. At this time, senior Israeli commanders and other cabinet members were informed about the operation.

On Saturday morning, June 8, the 28 commandos of the ‘Yamam’ unit began making their way in two teams towards the two buildings in Nuseirat refugee camp. To maintain the element of surprise as much as possible, the unit’s fighters travelled hiding in two trucks.

Just before 11 am, the commandos arrived with precise timing at the two targets and awaited the order to attack. Observations and technological surveillance measures from IDF aircraft reported that the area was ‘clean’, with no suspicious movements near the two buildings. The information and live coverage of the alleys and the 800-metre-long street that separated the two target buildings were transmitted directly to the screens in two command and control rooms in Israel from which the operation was being overseen.

At 11.00 am exactly, the commandos received the order to go ahead and stormed both buildings simultaneously in full coordination, to prevent the terrorists from endangering the hostages and the entire operation.

The Israeli soldiers eliminated the terrorists guarding Noa Argamani, and within six minutes had rescued her unharmed from the apartment. They then took her to a waiting helicopter that immediately flew her back to Israel.

But while the rescue of Argamani went smoothly, the task of rescuing the other three hostages on the third floor of the second building became more complex.

They were held in the home of Dr Ahmed al-Jamal, a medical doctor, who was a Hamas activist. His son, Abdullah, a journalist who had written for Al-Jazeera, was also staying in the apartment.

Some of the commandos used a ladder to enter directly into the room where the three hostages were held. This coincided with the entry of the rest of the force who came up the stairs from the main entrance of the building.

But Commander Arnon Zamora’s team, which broke into the apartment at the head of the force, encountered massive fire from around thirty Hamas terrorists in the apartment. They fired  machine guns, threw grenades and some even fired rocket-propelled grenade missiles at the surprised Israelis. This is how Arnon Zamora was mortally injured.

The fact of the presence of 30 terrorists in the apartment had not been known to the undercover teams who had reported the information about the hostages’ location back to Israel. It is assumed that the terrorists arrived at the apartment only that morning or the night before, to strengthen the guarding of the three hostages.

Nevertheless, the experienced Israeli commando fighters were not deterred by the deadly surprise and continued to fight the terrorists with determination at close range, joined by the other fighters who were waiting outside the apartment. The three hostages had to hide in the bathroom of the apartment, protected by several Israeli fighters, during the battle. There was no way to leave the apartment due to the massive unexpected gunfire as it might endanger the hostages.

After a long face-to-face battle, the Israelis managed to eliminate all the terrorists in the apartment. But during the shooting from dozens of guns inside a crowded two-room apartment, Arnon Zamora was hit and lay on the floor bleeding, while three medics and a doctor leant over him, under heavy fire, trying to save his life.

Meanwhile, dozens of terrorists emerged from the tunnels around the building and began to fire at the Israeli fighters with machine guns and RPG missiles. The Israelis started making their way out of the building (several of them carrying Arnon Zamora on a stretcher), running through smoke-filled alleys and the nearby market which was crowded with thousands of Gazans. The Israeli forces tried, under constant fire, to get to the rescue vehicle that was waiting for them, but it was hit by two RPG missiles and put out of action.

The commander of the operation in Israel then activated ‘Plan B’, the rescue plan that had been prepared in advance: a daring operation under massive, very close fire from the enemy, covered by Israeli fire from ground, sea and air.

With the help of tanks, hundreds of soldiers (from the Golani and Givati infantry brigades and paratroopers) charged on foot into the refugee camp, fighting face-to-face battles with Hamas terrorists while navy ships covered them from the west and air force helicopters from the east. Fire from the air hit the terrorists. sometimes at distances of just ten metres from the Israeli soldiers.

The reinforcement forces and the air force managed to isolate the battle scene, providing a safe escape route for the main force escorting the three hostages.

At the end of an exhausting battle, the Israeli fighters eliminated all the armed threats in the battle arena.

Hamas claims that during the rescue operation in the crowded streets of the refugee camp, 274 Palestinians were killed. However, the IDF says that 104 Palestinians were killed or wounded – all of whom were Hamas terrorists or armed civilians who collaborated with the terrorist organisation.

After the battle, the three abductees (who had kept their cool throughout) were led by the fighters to one of the Israeli helicopters waiting for them and flew them to Israel.

The special forces soldiers then boarded the other two helicopters that took off back to Israel. Attempts to revive Arnon Zamora continued on the short flight, but he was pronounced dead on arrival in hospital.