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Source: https://www.thejc.com/news/israel/the-inside-story-of-israels-dramatic-gaza-hostage-rescue-e2t1d8qu
New Details from Israel's Gaza Hostage Rescue
(Jewish Chronicle-UK) Elon Perry - On May 12, Israel received intelligence about the location of four hostages in the Nuseirat refugee camp in Gaza. A team of undercover agents who assumed Arab identities were sent in to gather intelligence. After 19 days, Israel had compiled solid and accurate information about the location of the hostages. At the beginning of June, the IDF and the Israel Security Agency were asked to present a rescue plan, and preparations and training for the operation began. Another team of undercover soldiers (including several women dressed in hijabs and long black dresses) was sent into Nuseirat. Pretending to be two Gazan families looking for a large house, they arrived in two old cars loaded with domestic items characteristic of displaced families, with mattresses and clothing identical to those of the locals. They rented a house in the area, paying three times the going rate for rent. After settling into the house and getting to know the area, including shopping at the local market, they did not arouse suspicion. They spoke fluent Arabic with a perfect Gazan accent. To confirm their information on the hostages, part of the team consisted of four female soldiers dressed as Arab women (one feigning being pregnant). Behind them walked four undercover men armed to give them backup. 28 fighters from the Yamam commando unit that specializes in rescuing hostages began training on two specially built models that replicated the two buildings where the hostages were held. On June 8, the Yamam commandos began making their way towards the two buildings in two trucks. The Israeli soldiers eliminated the terrorists guarding Noa Argamani, and within six minutes had rescued her and took her to a waiting helicopter. To rescue the other three hostages on the third floor of the second building became complicated. Some of the commandos used a ladder to enter directly into the room where the three hostages were held, as the rest of the force came up the stairs. Commander Arnon Zamora's team, which broke into the apartment, encountered massive fire from around thirty Hamas terrorists in the apartment They fired machine guns, threw grenades, and some even fired rocket-propelled grenades. The presence of 30 terrorists in the apartment had not been known to the undercover teams. After a 45-minute face-to-face battle, the Israelis managed to eliminate all the terrorists in the apartment, but Arnon Zamora was hit. Three medics and a doctor worked on 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. Their rescue vehicle was hit by two RPG missiles. The IDF then activated "Plan B," the rescue plan that had been prepared in advance, with supporting fire from ground, sea and air. With the help of tanks, hundreds of soldiers charged on foot into the refugee camp, while navy ships covered them from the west and air force helicopters from the east. Fire from the air hit the terrorists just ten meters from the Israeli soldiers. The IDF says that 104 Palestinians were killed or wounded - all of whom were Hamas terrorists or armed civilians who collaborated with Hamas.