Israeli forces provide cover with an Mk 47 grenade launcher during the rescue operation. Photo: IDF

i24 News – Israel has waited more than eight months for the four hostages rescued on Saturday to return, yet the road to success required heroism, fast thinking by commanders, and massive amounts of fire.

Media reports linked together on Sunday paint a picture of a complex operation that cost the life of Chief Inspector Arnon Zmora, a member of the Border Police’s elite Yamam unit, after whom the operation was named.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he authorized the operation on Thursday after months of intelligence gathering.

The paratrooper brigade spearheaded the rescue effort, supported by a coalition of specialized units including the Parachute Patrol, Mobility Unit (5515), 13th Fleet, Givati Patrol, and Armored Battalion (532). Operating under intense gunfire, these forces successfully extracted the hostages and swiftly transported them to safety via helicopter.

Over the preceding days, the Kafir Brigade’s battle team, bolstered by paratroopers and special forces from the Dovdevan unit, had maintained a strategic presence in the area.

Simultaneously, the 7th Brigade’s battle team, comprising armored and engineering forces along with fighters from the Rotem Battalion, worked tirelessly to neutralize terrorists and dismantle their infrastructure, clearing the path for the rescue operation.

Critical air support provided by the Air Force targeted numerous military objectives, enhancing the operation’s success rate. The operation itself was the culmination of weeks of meticulous intelligence gathering by the Shin Bet and Amn, shedding light on the abductees’ whereabouts and providing crucial insights into the operational dynamics of the rescue mission.

The joint operation, launched in collaboration with the elite police unit Yamam, reached its climax as teams stormed two separate locations in the Nuseirat refugee camp. While the extraction of Noa Argamani proceeded smoothly, the mission to retrieve Shlomi Ziv, Andrey Kozlov, and Almog Meir-Jan encountered fierce resistance. Commanding Yamam officer Zamora, leading the charge, sustained injuries during a close-range firefight but remained instrumental in ensuring the hostages’ safe evacuation.

Southern Command Colonel “Y” emerged as a pivotal figure in orchestrating the operation’s success, underscoring the collaborative efforts and strategic acumen of Israel’s defense apparatus in safeguarding its citizens against threats from hostile adversaries.

He was tasked with securing the exit point by providing cover fire against known targets, including anti-tank positions, military bases, terrorist apartments, and more. Colonel “Y” was also responsible for the swift exit of the hostages and their rescuers from the refugee camp under fire.

But as the team with the rescued hostages and Zamora tried to exit Nuseirat, their vehicles got stuck in a crowded area. At this time, drones flying overhead spotted dozens of terrorists gathering in several points to attack the Israelis.

Colonel “Y” gave swift approval to attack the terrorists, with IDF fire hitting some 30 feet away from the Israeli forces.

This allowed Israeli tanks and armored personnel carriers (APC) to enter the refugee camp and tow away the vehicle that was stuck. Meanwhile, the team transferred to an APC where they were taxied to the Gazan beach. The Yamam doctor fought all the while to provide first aid to Zamora. Due to the high risk of a surface-to-air attack, the helicopter was ordered to wait while the Israeli forces were out of danger.

It was only once he was back in Israel that doctors pronounced Zamora dead.

According to a security source quoted by Walla, the mission succeeded thanks to the “iron nerves” of Colonel “Y” and the dedicated assistance of the Israel Air Force and Armored Corps.